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BOOK     133.91.T923E    c.  1 

TWING    #    EXPERIENCES    OF    SAMUEL 

BOWI.FS 


3  T153  OOOblSMS  b 


40 


EXPERIENCES 

OF 

SAMUEL   BOWLES 


LATE  EDITOR  OF  THE  SPRINGFIELD  (MASS)  REPUBLICAN 

IN 


OK  LIFE  AS  HE  NOW  SEES  IT  FROM  A  SPIRITUAL 
STANDPOINT. 

NEW  EDITION  WITH  SUFPI EMENT. 
CAROLINN  E.  S^TWING,  MEDIUM. 

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"^^^JtX^-c^y^^  J   Li^t: 


^^^<^^u^^^  {.^^a  -i  C/V 


^ 


Experiences  of  Samuel  Bowles 
in  Spirit  Life. 

V^  PAPER  FIRST. 

v^  HIS    ENTRANCE  UPON  SPIRIT  LIFE. 

As  life  faded  out  and  I  was  gradually  losing  hold 
of  the  old  body,  what  had  before  been  an  intense 
pain  in  my  chest,  slowly  changed  to  a  sensation  of 
heaviness.  There  was  no  inclination  to  throw  off 
the  incubus  that  weighed  me  down.  The  sobs  in 
the  room  and  the  low  tones  were  like  far-away 
murmurs. 

My  busy  brain,  in  a  few  moments,  brought  up  the 
vivid  scenes  of  my  life— its  early  struggles,  its  la- 
ter successes— all  were  like  a  panorama,  spread  out 
before  me.  I  knew  that  what  had  been  called  the 
"King  of  Terror.s"  was  with  me,  but  I  felt  no  fear. 

Gradually  the  scenes  in  the  room  receded  far  away. 
The  efforts  of  the  old  form  for  breath  seemed  like 
some  other  person  beside  myself.  And  then  the 
loved  ones  of  my  childhood  days  were  around  me, 
with  bright  faces  ,  holding  out  their  arms  and  beck- 
oning me  over.  A  sensation  then  came  to  me  that 
I  was  rising  up  out  of  myself,  and  from  right  over 
the  old  head,  there  was  another  head  that  thought 
and  saw  ! 


As  my  spirit  was ,  withdrawn  from  the  bod}-,  I 
could  look  down  on  the  agonized  face,  and  see  the 
last  efforts  of  the  life  principle  in  leaving  it.  There 
was  no  feeling  of  fear,  no  pain.  Death  is  not  pain- 
ful. I  can  recollect  now  and  know  there  was  not 
even  surprise.  It  was  like  soma  half- forgot  ten  les- 
son tliat  had  come  back  to  me  with  force:  but  there 
was  no  feeling  of  awe,  such  as  I  had  often  thought 
must  come  to  the  person  facing  the  mystery  of  death. 

I  looked  for  a  river — I  saw  none.  I  looked  for  the 
boatman,  but  I  beheld  onl}^  multitudes  of  glad  faces 
as  far  as  I  could  see.  I  had  long  before  given  up 
the  thought  that  there  were  golden  streets  and  gates 
of  pearl,  for  I  felt  if  there  was  an  after  life,  it  must 
be  in  accordance  with  nature.  I  tried  to  think,  1 
tried  to  remember  the  many  who  were  around  me, 
yet  they  would  say,  "Not  yet;  rest,  bi-other,  rest.  " 

And  I  did  rest — such  rest  as  only  tired  souls  have 
who  have  just  come  out  of  the  turmoil  of  earth  life. 
I  did  not  realize  I  was  rising,  and  still  I  had  risen 
to  quite  a  height,  for  I  remember  looking  back  at 
the  old  home  and  the  old  body,  peaceful,  now,  with 
hands  resting — hands  that  would  nevermore  grasp 
the  pen  and  wield  it  for  my  fellow-men.  I  think 
even  then  a  feeling  of  regret  rose  in  my  heart  as  the 
ambitions  of  life  appeared  to  have  been  cut  off  in 
their  very  prime:  I  sighed  and  said,  "  Dear  old  hands 
you  have  served  me  well,  but  your  work  is  over.  " 

"  Yes,  their  work  is  over,  "  said  a  voice  beside  me, 
''you  have  changed  gaiments.  Out  of  the  old  there 
has  indeed  been  resurrected  a  new  bod}^  that  will 
take  up  the  tangled  thread  of  life  where  you  laid  it 
down    and  wield  again  a  power  over  the  children  of 


8 

earth  that  will  be  felt,  and  finish  a  work  so  nobly 
begun.  Your  work  is  not  done:  your  active  brain 
has  worn  out  one  body,  therefore  death  is  kinder 
than  life,  for  every  thought  of  beauty  or  power  shall 
find  its  way  back  as  though  written  in  letters  of  fire  ! 
Therefore,  brother,  rest:  but  only  to  begin  again 
with  redoubled  power!" 

Almost  unconsciously  during  this  conversation  had 
I  been  guided  and  helped  into  a  room  which  had  all 
the  luxury,  all  the  beauty  of  rooms  in  earth  life; 
and  each  article  was  just  as  tangible  to  me  as  the 
articles  in  tlie  old  life.  I  looked  at  my  hands  and 
saw  hands  like  the  old  ones,  only  every  trace  of  age 
had  passed  away.  I  felt  of  my  body,  and  found  I 
was  the  same  man,  clothed  as  a  man,  with  no  differ- 
ence, Duly  the  look  of  youth.  Then  again  I  thought 
of  tlie  old  body  and  as  by  magic  I  could  see  down 
an  inclined  plane  into  the  room  where  it  lay,  and  I 
saw  those  who  were  performing  the  last  sad  offices. 

I  was  then  content,  thougli  I  knew  my  loved  ones 
wept.  I  could  see  an  end  to  their  weeping.  I  felt 
a  pity  for  them,  yet  joy  mingled  in  the  cup,  for  with 
the  clogs  of  earth  life  out  of  my  way,  with  the  strife 
all  passed,  a  new  ambition  came  to  me,  to  be  known 
yet  in  the  old  life,  to  do  a  work  that  should  find  its 
way  if  possible,  even  to  the  heart  of  a  nation  begun 
in  purity,  but  made  corrupt  through  greed  of  men: 
and  I  gloried  that  death  was  life,  and  a  life  that  no 
circumstance  or  change  could  blot  out. 

I  think  I  rested  then;  for  a  while  all  was  a  blank; 
but  when  I  came  back  to  myself,  such  a  glorious 
view  presented  itself  to  me!  I  was  not  expecting 
to  see  the  throne  of  God,  but  I  saw  Nature  as  never 
before  :  lofty  mountains,  winding    rivers,  lovely  val- 


4 

leys  where  the  green  foliage  made  an  arch  overhead 
and  left  shaded  walks;  lakes  with  many  a  little  boat, 
filled  with  pleasure  parties;  cottages,  nestled  down 
among  green  trees :  mansions,  that  contained  souls 
who  had  come  up  through  great  tribulation  ;  pavil- 
ions, beautifully  decorated,  made  with  open  sides, 
where  there  is  often  a  multitude  of  eager  spirits, 
listening  to  words  that  come  from  the  hearts  of  men 
and  women  who  have'  learned  their  lessons  in  earth 
life  and  have,  lisen  through  sorrow,  but  here 
have  their  place  as  teachers.  All  was  peaceful  : 
brotherly  love  was  one  of  the  conditions  prevailing 
every wiiere,  as  I  saw  it.  I  feel  even  now  lost  in 
wonder,  when  [  realize  that  spirit  life  is  s(>  closely 
allied  to  earth  life:  that  the  heaven  I  had  dreamed 
of  is  onlv  your  natural  world  intensified  ;  that  nature 
without  blemish  exists  for  every  soul ;  that  per- 
sonal life  is  so  important  that  infinite?  wisdom  has 
provided  for  it  eternally  ;  that  once  a  man  or  woman 
realizes  an  existence,  they  go  on  forever. 

In  my  future  papers,  f  shall  try  to  show  the  rela- 
tions of  the  two  worlds,  the  advantage  gained  from 
entering  here  ripe,  instead  of  in  childhood  ;  the  ef- 
fect of  war  and  bloodshed  :  the  efforts  of  the  spirit 
world  to  prevent  great  accidents,  and  its  efficient 
work  when  they  do  occur ;  our  manner  of  living  : 
the  food  needed;  what  our  sleep  is  like,  etc.,  and 
most  of  all,  the  efforts  of  the  Spiritual  (.^ongress  to 
overcome  the  effects  of  tlie  blunders  made  in  the 
fiarthly  one. 

Samuel  BowLEi. 


PAPFR  SECOND. 


MR.    BOWLES  ADVISES  WOMAN   TO  EDUCATE  HERSELF 
AND  BECOME  A  VOTER. 

A  Spiritual  life  is  only  an  outgrowth  of  earth  life. 
I'hei'efore,  in  order  to  have  the  most  perfect  thought, 
the  most  pei-fect  powers  of  descrijUion,  Ave  ought  to 
learn  thorough!}'  the  law  of  contiast. 

On  waking  up  more  entirely  to  scenes  around  me, 
I  could  see  that  humanity  in  all  its  pjiases  in  coming 
over  to  the  unknown,  had  only  laid  down  its  bur- 
dens to  resume  them  again  with  a  more  intense  am- 
bition. 

Instead  of  my  individuality  merging  into  and 
mingling  with  every  other  individuality,  1  stand  out 
clear  and  distinct,  a  responsible  being.  That  vi^hich 
in  earth  life  I  took  upon  my  shoulders,  either  from 
a  mistaken  sense  of  duty,  or  engaged  in  because  soul 
and  honor  were  in  it,  is  still  my  work. 

Earth  life  is  full  of  unfinished  sentences  and  un- 
painted  pictures.  To  the  student,  Nature  is  a  fruit- 
ful field,  and  those  who  make  her  their  chief  study, 
laboring  in  practical  ways  to  bring  out  from  her 
great  heart  that  which  will  supply  the  body  without 
crippling  the  soul,  are  indeed  on  safe  ground. 

But  to  tlie  man  like  myself,  who  has  mingled  with 
the  great  world,  seen  its  grasjung  spirit,  felt  that  tlie 
iron  chains  which  bound  Afric's  sons — only  one  bet 
of  a  series  of  chains  that  are  binding  lives  even  now: 
tbe  revelations  are  wonderful ! 


6 

While  in  earth  life,  I  cautiously,  from  out  of  the 
depths  of  political  interest,  threw  out  gleams  to  the 
world,  that  the  time  might  come  when  woman,  who 
is  made  responsible  for  the  breaking  of  every  law, 
might  have  a  hand  in  its  making.  Kow,  seeing  the 
great  influence  of  womankind,  I  would  say,  without 
shrinking,  "Sisters,  educate  yourselves  to  the  high- 
est standpoint  possible:  leave  fashion  and  its  accom- 
paniments of  dissipation  and  recklessness  in  the 
background,  and  see  what  must  be  done  to  save  a 
nation's  honor." 

Let  there  be  no  question  of  sex  in  voting  ;  but  let 
there  be  simply  a  standard  of  political  education  to 
which  all  men  and  women  must  attain  before  they 
shall  be  allowed  the  ballot.  This  is  no  hasty  con- 
clusion, and  the  fact  that  I  did  not  give  this  thought 
fully  to  the  public  in  earth  life,  keeps  my  interests 
more  closely  allied  with  earthly  interests. 
A  wonder,  born  of  disappointment,  came  to  me  when, 
in  traversing  the  beautiful  walks  of  spirit  life,  I 
could  see  men  and  women  eagerly  talking  and  de- 
vising means  whereby  to  accomplish  these  material 
results,  which  I  had  supposed  I  had  left  forever  be- 
hind. 

"Ah!  no,"  they  said  to  me,  "after  the  whirlpool  of 
journalistic  labor,  it  would  be  impossible  for  you  to 
drop  the  old  aml)itions  which  are  a  part  of  your  spir- 
it as  well  as  your  earthly  life.  You  have  laid  down  the 
pen  only  to  resume  it  with  an  earnestness  and  power 
never  felt  before;  and  while  it  will  not  in  the  least, 
detract  from  your  spiritual  investigations,  you  must 
go  ahead,  and  from  the  old  Principle,  cautiously 
evolve  that  degree  of  clearness  and  perfection  to 
which    you  were   unable    to    attain   while  dragged 


7 
down  by  earthly    cares  and  hampered  by    that  great 
bugbear,  Public  Opinion/' 

True  freedom  has  no  fear,  and  though  I  shall  not 
strike  at  men,  I  hope  to  strike  to  the  corrupt  heart  of 
principles,  founded  only  on  the  gain  of  the  possessor. 

You  may  ask,  ''How  can  our  affairs  on  earth  con- 
liict  with  the  affairs  of  the  upper  kingdom?" 

I  answer,  if  you  would  keep  all  of  your  people 
there,  it  would  not;  but  so  long  as  you  are  losing 
from  your  midst,  men  immersed  in  politics,  women 
down-trodden  and  given  so  poor  a  chance  in  life, 
that  some  take  refuge  in  the  liver,  or  anywhere 
to  drown  out  the  spark  of  life,  because  life  was  so 
cruel,  just  so  long  shall  we  study  into  the  causes 
that  are  bringing  the  world  or  the  nation  down  to 
one  common  basis  of  selfishness. 

How  many  lo-day,  who  are  loud  in  praises  of  their 
particular  favorite,  have  stopped  in  the  whirl  long 
enough  to  study  the  man  they  uphold?  Because 
he  represents  a  certain  side,  do  the  blind  run  wild  in 
his  praises,  and  say  unto  the  ignorant  and  careless, 
he  is  the  man.  You  may  not  believe  me,  but  over 
here,  wiser  ones  than  I,  say  the  time  is  not  far  dis- 
tant, if  the  old  flag  keeps  waving,  when  every  per- 
son to  whom  power  is  to  be  given,  must  first  give  a 
certificate  of  clean  hands  and  a  pure  heart. 

They  must  show  a  past  that  shall  give  promise  at 
a  pure  future.  No  feeling  of  self-aggrandizement 
will  be  allowed  ;  but  the  places  of  trust,  from  the 
highest  to  the  lowest,  must  be  given  to  those  whose 
hearts  are  daily  aspiring  to  a  higher  life — to  find 
wherein  they  can  most  nobly  fulfil  their  duties.  This 
we  hope,  from  the  knowledge  we  have  here,  is  in  no 


far-off  future,  but  so  neai*  that  its  first  premonition 
shall  be  felt,  making  its  way  to  the  great  public 
heart  this  very  Fall  I 

We  are  intensely  in  earnest  in  this,  for  much  of  the 
efficiency  of  spirit  work  depends  upon  the  begin- 
ning made  in  earth  life. 

Who  should  feel  it  more  than  I,  who  laid  my  ar- 
mor down  only  to  resume  it  with  greater  force  than 
ever?  Our  aim  must  be  to  strike  at  the  very  heart  of 
corruption,  and  even  I  must  not  falter,  if  I  have  to 
bring  to  light  the  hidden  means  that  are  being  used 
on  both  sides  to  place  their  favorites  before  the  pub- 
lic. 

From  this  unpleasant  prospect,  I  turn  with  sick- 
ening and  dread,  and  try  to  lose  these  thoughts  in 
conversation  with  the  high  and  holy  minds  who, 
through  discipline  on  earth,  have  learnad  wisdom. 
And  when,  in  my  eagerness,  I  would  rush  forth,  de- 
termined to  win — determined,  with  willing  heart, 
to  sacrifice  my  time,  my  present  happiness,  my  all, 
to  correct  the  great  world's  wrongs,  such  men  as 
Theodore  Parker,  Judge  Edmonds  and  others,  will 
say,  ''Go  slowly,  brother;  we  too,  when  we  came 
over  here,  at  first,  felt  that  almost  single-handed  we 
could  bring  about  great  results:  that  we  could  be 
venerated,  loved  and  believed  even  as  in  earth  life. 

But  we  found  that  though  the  same  same  impul- 
ses of  earth  life,  intensified,  urged  us  on,  yet  to  be 
known  as  of  old,  we  mujtt  bridge  the  gulf,  mankind 
has  made  between  the  two  worlds.''  Orthodoxy, 
with  unreasoning  determination,  would  by  one  dead- 
ly blow,  strike  out  of  existence  every  record  of  the 
return  of  spirits,  save  that  found  in  the  Bible. 


9 

Strange  contradiction,  when  the  meaning  of  every 
church  in  the  land  should  be — Is  man  immortal?  If 
so,  prepare  for  immortality.  And  from  the  greatest 
hights  to  the  lowest  depths,  no  answer  can  come 
save  that  embraced  in  Spiritualism!  " 

As  I  listened  to  these  words,  uttered  with  thrilling 
power,  this  thought  came  tome — To  the  great,  bust- 
ling world,  Samuel  Bowles  is  dead!  Kind  hands 
have  laid  the  old  form  away;  loving  hearts  have 
caused  to  be  twined  wreathes,  evergreen,  to  his 
memory:  the  words  he  has  written  will  be  thought 
of  as  the  words  of  one  dead  ;  and  stronger  than  ever 
before  came  the  resolution  to  live,  not  in  the  mem- 
ory of  old  works,  but  in  the  doing  of  new  ones  ;  and 
stronger  than  ever  is  my  desire  to  show  a  world, 
struggling  for  gain  and  renown,  of  how  little  worth 
they  are,  save  as  they  point  to  something  higher.  I 
hope  to  show  the  followers  of  Christ  that  they  follow 
him  only  a  litle  way. 

They  weaken  the  arm  of  a  God  who  over  nineteen 
hundred  years  ago,  could  make  Moses  and  Elias  ap- 
pear on  the  Mount,  and  say  this  is  not  the  day  of 
miracles.  And  it  is  not,  nor  ever  was  there  a  day  of 
miracles.  For  a  God,  a  living  Principle,  inherent 
in  everything,  because  he  is  a  God  of  nature,  would 
not  step  outside  of  nature  to  perform  His  work ;  and 
by  the  same  law  that  caused  the  man  Jesus  to  be 
seen  walking  so  far  with  two  of  his  believers,  now 
gives  strength  to  spirits  for  a  time,  through  the  ele- 
ments nature  furnishes,  to  encase  the  material,  and 
thus  for  a  few  moments  converse  with  and  be  seen 
by  the  loved  of  yore. 

Thus  can  a  truly  thoughtful  mind  weave  link  after 


10 

link  of  the  old  in  most  beautiful  harmony  with  the 
new.  Remember  that  this  fact  of  spirit-communica- 
tion and  spirit  appearance,  which  seems  so  impossi- 
ble now,  is  but  throwing  a  new  light  on  an  old  Gos- 
pel. Samuel  Bowles. 


PAPER  THIRD. 
Mr.  Bowles  fiisids  he  had  a  wrong  idea  of 
Heaven. 

My  ideal  heaven,  the  one  I  thought  of  in  the  long 
hours  when  death  and  life  were  fighting  for  victory, 
was  one  which  changed  the  man — one  which  made 
the  avaricious  man  less  avaricious:  the  liar  one  who 
would  immediately  seek  the  truth  :  the  drunkard  one 
who  would  wish  to  drink  from  pure  fountains.  But 
a  surprise  awaited  me. 

Ill  interviewing  myself  I  found  the  same  ambitions 
existing,  only  much  stronger.  I  found  that  to  be, 
was  to  retain  the  properties  of  self.  Therefore,  when 
I  first  found  the  work  that  spirit  life  demanded,  I 
thought  what  a  worse  than  mytii  was  the  old  ideal 
song,  ''There  is  rest  for  the  weary."  I  turned  aside 
from  the  contemplation  of  the  past,  to  see  what  new 
resolves  the  future  had  in  store  for  me.  There  are 
times  when  the  soul  would  soar  upward  ;  but  to  com- 
plete perfect  work,  it  must  still  review  the  past. 

Advanced  spirits  tell  me,  when,  at  times,  they 
would  look  into  the  mystery  of  higher  spheres,  they 
are  called  upon  by  a  voice,  not  to  be  disregarded,  t<) 
visit  earth  life,  and  help  free  some  suffering  one 
from  the  old  body.  So,  when  we  would  feel  wis«  and 


11 

begin  to  know  spirit  life,  are  we  called  again  to  look 
into  the  old  lessons  of  earth  life.  Thus,  whatever 
comes*  to  us,  we  are  not  allowed  to  rise  to  that  hight 
that  the  grevious  suffering  of  one  of  earth-life's  hum- 
blest children  would  not  awaken  our  sympathy.  The 
world  is  full  of  suffering,  and  a  spirit  to  be  cogni- 
zant of  it  all,  must  be  omnipotent. 

But  with  people  of  similar  temperaments,  there  is 
a  sympathy  that,  like  a  magnetic  chord,  draws  the 
spirit  to  the  sufferer.  Our  chief  growth  depends  on 
how  we  receive  the  lessons  that  are  taught  us 
through  our  own  suffering  or  our  sympathy  with  the 
sufferings  of  others. 

I  do  not  wish  to  enter  into  personalities,  but  to 
deal  with  principles  ;  and  though  my  heart  is  longing 
to  reach  in  spirit,  one  mourning  household,  I  must 
repress  it  all,  and  go  on  until  there  comes  a  time 
when  hungry  souls  will  be  fed  with  the  bread  of 
life  we  can  give  them. 

The  days  here  are  like  unto  your  days  -there; 
but  no  night  follows.  Still,  to  every  soul^  there 
comes  at  times  something  like  a  silvery  mist  that  is 
soothing  and  means  rest.  It  comes  when  the  spirit 
brain  is  tired  and  life  begins  to  assume  the  weary 
feeling  of  the  old  life.  Yet  how  great  is  the  wisdom 
that  causes  these  periods  of  rest  as  they  are  needed: 
for  with  the  precision  of  the  most  perfect  military 
encampment,  each  takes  his  stand,  guarding  those 
in  earth  life.  This  perfect  order  does  not  distress, 
and  those    who    have  been  disciplined  to   it,    never 

rebel. 

It  is  a  part  of  the  great  plan  that   the  strong 
should  care  for  the    weak.  When  we  see    great 


12 

troubles  hovering  over  you  there,  though  we  cannot 
avert  them,  we  can  lighten  their  fall;  and  our  great- 
est growth  comes  from  the  most  efficient  work  done 
to  those  who  are  still  in  the  form. 

The  remark  is  often  made  in  earth  life,  "I  know 
if  my  loved  ones  could  come  back,  the}'  would  come 
to  me,  not  through  another  person."  If  you  could 
feel  the  grief  it  costs  us  to  have  such  thoughts 
thrown  at  us,  you  would  not  be  so  hasty  in  your 
conclusions.  Human  nature  and  human  loves  are 
selfish.  There  is  not  one  spirit  entering  spirit  life 
but,  if  he  had  the  power  when  he  returned,  unde- 
veloped and  without  correct  reasoning,  would  enter 
his  own  home  and  on  account  of  imperfect  control, 
would  give  terror  where  he  meant  to  give  peace. 

Spirits  in  their  first  ardor  would  disorganize 
families  and  bring  again  to  you  a  worse  lesson  than 
the  Salem  witchcraft.  I  know  from  my  own  long- 
infifs  at  first,  how  indiscreet  we  would  be.  So  we 
have  to  look  at  tears  flowing  that  we  cannot  wipe 
away,  and  at  hearts  aching,  that  we  cannot  cure: 
and  thus  we  settle  down  that  the  plan  arranged  by 
wisdom  grealer  than  ours  is  right;  that  we  must  not 
only  have  mediums  on  the  spirit  side  through  whom 
we  work,  but  mediums  on  the  earth  side,  through 
whom  our  mediums  in  spirit  life  work. 

Thuft  there  is  a  system  which  is  right  and  just 
for  every  one  who  would  seek  for  communications 
there,  or  for  the  one  here  who  would  communicate. 

I  shall  in  my  letters,  devote  one  to  the  subject 
of  the  necessity  for  the  b«st  developed  mediums,  and 
tell  how  to  develop  them,  for  many  are  newiecl,  and 


13 

che  more  efficient  work  we  do  through    earthly  me- 
diums, the  more  rapidly  we  advance  here. 

We  do  not  count  time  here.  Heaven  has  no 
Spring  or  gloomy  November.  Gradually,  as  is  need- 
ed, our  foliage  drops,  Uut  in  the  old  going  down 
there  is  always  the  bud  left  for  the  new.  Flowers 
that  grow  spontaneously,  let  the  old  stalks  wither 
and  out  from  the  roots  come  the  new. 

It  is  not  in  nature  that  anything  shall  long  ex- 
ist in  the  same  form;  but  out  of  the  ashes  of  the  old. 
Phoenix-like,  shall  come  the  new. 

The  duties  of  the  household,  which  in  earth  life 
cause  such  hard  work  and  aching  feet,  are  performed 
without  much  manual  labor  in  a  way  to  satisfy  eve- 
ry want.     Everything  moves  with  regularity.  There 
is  1)0  clashing  here,  in  a  well-developed  household. 

The  sympathy  between  the  two  worlds  is  so  great 
that  when  you  are  supplying  your  bodily  wants  by 
cooking,  we  get  the  spirit  of  the  food  wiiioh  rises, 
and  it  is  utilized  by  us  ;  and  as  our  appetites  are, 
such  food  do  we  attract  to  us.  I  hope  I  may  be  un- 
derstood in  this,  for  I  have  seen  gluttons  in  earth 
life  who  shrank  from  death  because  they  feared 
they  would  have  nothing  to  eat.  Many  sad  experi- 
ences come  of  these  appetites.  Not  long  ago  I  was 
sent  with  an  anxious  mother,  to  help  guard  herjson 
and  if  possible,  break  a  spell  which  was  over  him. 

As  quickly  as  the  wind,  the  mother  went  to  her 
boy.  We  found  him  near  one  of  earth's  foul  dens 
where  poison  is  dealt  out  and  the  dealer  laughs  at  his 
victims.  But  on  nearing  the  boy  of  seventeen  years, 
the  mother  s  face    was   clouded,    for,  coiling  around 


14 
him  like  a  deadly  serpent,  was   tlie  spirit  of  one  who 
had  lately  come    over  with  delirium  tremens,  gloat- 
ing and  rejoicing  that  through   this  innocent  victim 
he  could  for  a  brief  time  enjo}'  the  old  vice. 

Could  the  mother  or  I  break  that  spell  ?  No — not 
then.  'Ihough  good  should  crush  out  evil,  we  were 
too  late.  This  spirit,  before  he  could  be  disciplined 
mq&t  have  that  one  backward  glance;  and  the  boy, 
with  his  negative  disposition,  must  have  that  one 
experience,  that  the  mother  heart  might,  through 
his  remorse,  get  a  firmer  hold. 

Sometimes  I  think,  if  I  had  the  Infinite's  or  He  one 
half  of  my  love,  I  would  revolutionize  the  whole  plan 
of  earth  and  heaven;  and  then,  when  I  see  how,  af- 
ter a  time,  even  from  out  of  the  depths,  there  works 
out  a  perfection,  grand  and  beautiful,  I  try  to  be 
content. 

If  we  could  teach  the  children  of  earth  life  to 
avoid  bad  companionship,  it  would  be  a  great  thing  ; 
but  if  we  could  go  farther,  and  protect  them  from 
the  subtle  influences  of  spirits  who  are  in  a  hell  of 
their  own  making,  it  would  be  better  still.       >      '    > 

May  angels  help  me  to  teach  you  on  earth  the 
true  law  of  protection. 

Samuel  Bowles. 


15 


PAPER  FOURTH. 

THE  CRIME  OF  LEGALIZED  MURDER.     ITS  EFFECTS 
IN  SPIRIT  LIFE. 

To  a  piaclicai  mind,  one  who  looks  into  the  soul 
of  jbhings,  the  first  years  in  spirit  life  are  a  succes- 
sion of  surprises.  I  have  asked  to  be  shown  the 
spiritual  in  all  its  phases.  I  have  voluntarily  left 
the  abodes  of  peace  to  look  upon  the  wonderful  va- 
riety of  experiences  to  which  those  in  our  life  are 
subject ;  and  if  we  over  here  could,  with  one  mighty 
stroke,  wipe  out  some  of  the  conditions  of  earth  life, 
we  would  do  it. 

A  feeling  of  shame  comes  to  me  that 
when  earth  life  was  mine,  I  did  not  more  persistent- 
ly work  to  help  banish  from  the  national  government 
that  crime  of  all  crimes  ''legalized  murder!  "  Can 
not  you  see  that  the  old  law  of  an  ''eye  for  an  eye 
and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth,"  should  have  been  left  in  the 
barbarous  past?  A  company  of  seven  were  sent 
not  long  ago,  to  your  world  to  help  over  the  spirit 
of  a  murderer.  He  was  guilty  of  the  crime.  His 
hands  were  red  with  the  blood  of  his  victim.  The 
deed  was  done  under  the  influence  of  liquor.  The 
brain  was  maddened  by  jealousy.  He  was  poor. 
He  had  no  counsel  except  what  the  state  provided. 

A  man's  guilt  or  innocence  depends  much,  with 
the  great  world  upon  the  state  of  his  pocket.  The 
^^extenuating  circumstances"  often  for  criminals 
mean  money.  This  man  had  not  even  friends.  It 
is  true,  a  woman  had  been  the  cause  of  trouble,  but 
idle  words  had  increased  it.      The  culprit    must  be 


16 

hanged.  Children  must  be  made  fatherless-the  wife 
a  widow.  The  look  on  that  man's  face,  as  he  was 
led  out  with  the  usual  accompaniment  of  officers 
and  clergy,  was  fiendish.  Not  a  thought  of  sorrow 
for  the  deed  came  to  his  soul.  The  prayer  of  the 
"man  of  God"  was  answered  by  a  curse. 

Men,  many  and  of  all  ages,  had  gathered  to  see 
the  slaughter  of  a  human  being.  Oh !  wicked  world 
that  gloats  on  misery  !  The  sheriff,  a  fair-faced 
blue-eyed  man,  and  a  Christian,  put  his  foot  to  the 
machinery  that  did  its  dreadful  work,  and  an  im- 
mortal soul  had  passed  the  boundaries.  The  sheriff 
was  complimented  on  his  coolness  :  the  priest  said, 
"God  have  mercy  on  his  soul:"  and  another  unripe 
spirit  had  come  to  us  to  learn  new  lessons, 

"What  will  you  do  with  him  now?",  I  asked,  as  I 
saw  a  weeping  mother,  trying  to  catch  one  glance  of 
recognition  from  him.  Sadly  came  the  answer,  "he 
did  not  live  out  his  time  there,  his  spirit  must  still 
stay  on  the  earth  plane  until  the  time  when  na];ure 
would  have  released  him." 

There  was  not  even  a  feeling  of  gladness  visible 
on  his  face  that  he  could  see  those  he  called  dead. 
Though  gentle  hands  were  held  out  to  him,  though 
kindly  words  were  spoken,  he  heeded  them  not ;  his 
soul  was  thirsting  for  revenge — on  the  jury  who 
found  him  guilty — on  the  judge  who  sentenced  him, 
and  most  of  all,  on  the  sheriff  who  hung  him,  was 
his  mind  made  up  to  seek  revenge. 

"What  will  be  the  result  of  this  act?  "  said  I  to 
Judge  Edmonds. 

"The  same  as  of  many  of  the  others,  "  he  sadly 


17 

said.  *'One  murder  paves  the  way  for  many  others  ; 
he  lias  murdered  one  man,  the  sheriff  has  murdered 
him,  and  now  with  a  desperation  not  known  in  earth 
life,  will  he  obsess  some  negative  person,  and  blindly, 
madly  exult  in  taking  some  life." 

The  decree  has  gone  forth,  and  until  the  spirit  of 
good  can  by  degrees,  banish  the  spirit  of  evil,  the 
fatal  work  will  go  on:  and  if  as  I  hope,  this  little 
book  shall  find  its  way  to  many  households,  angels 
grant  it  may  awaken  in  the  children  of  earth,  a  de- 
sire to  expunge  from  the  laws  of  a  great  nation,  the 
law  of  a  life  foj*  a  life. 

If  the  glance  of  judge  and  sheriff  shall  rest  on  these 
pages,  may  it  awaken  in  their  hearts  the  feeling 
that  they  too  are  murderers,  for  they  take  a  life  they 
cannot  give.  If,  instead  of  the  money  of  states  or 
countries  being  used  for  such  prolonged  trials,  those 
who  were  really  known  to  be  guilty,  were  put  in 
clean,  comfortable  places  where  the  soul  could  grow 
and  their  hands  always  be  employed  in  work  which 
would  bring  money  to  the  state,  it  would  be  far 
better.  It  is  a  wrong  idea  that  it  would  increase  crime. 
The  dread  of  death  is  not  half  as  strong  in  most 
hearts  as  the  dread  of  an  imprisoned  life.  Not  only 
would  this  system  give  a  purer  look  on  the  nation's 
page,  but  it  would  help  heaven.  It  would  lessen 
the  number  of  murders  in  earth  life.  It  would  give 
to  every  man  and  woman  a  chance  for  self-improve- 
ment, even  though  on  the  lowest  round  of  the  ladder. 
It  would  inspii'e  noble  resolves,  and  give  a  chance 
for  purification.  O  1  world  of  struggling  mortals,  see 
you  not   you  are  weak  when  you  should  be  strong! 


18 
Those  who,  from  this  side,  watch  the  affairs  of 
state,  feel  that  the  spirit  world  must  do  its  best 
work  on  the  active  law-makers  in  earth  life,  to  try  to 
remove  this  great  evil,  which,  like  a  moral  malaria, 
has  fastened  itself  upon  the  minds  of  the  people. 

Men  who  deem  their  robes  are  spotless  will  find 
over  here  that  they  are  stained  with  a  brother's  blood 
Let  this  work  go  on.     Correct  this  evil,  and  heav- 
en's inhabitants  will    rejoice    that    one    more  step  is 
taken  up  the  "golden  stairway." 

Samuel  Bowles. 


PAPER  FIFTH 


THE    CEIME  OF  UNLEGALIZED  MURDER. 

The    effects  on  the    spirits  of  children,   sent  to  spirit 
life  bv  abortions.   how  thk  doctors  who  pi{oduce  them  are  to 

BE  damned! 

As  I  intend  to  deal  with  the  facts  of  earth  life,  and 
leave  the  fancies  toothers,  1  will  now,  after  treating 
of  "legalized  murder,"  write  of  murder  which  is  car- 
ried to  such  a  wide  extent  among  the  denizens  of 
earth.  Had  I  not  seen  its  direful  effects  in  so  man}" 
cases,  I  would  not  risk  shocking  an  over-sensitive 
world  by  the  knowledge  of  what  is  daily  passing  be- 
fore them ;  yet  with  closed  eyes  they  allow  manifold 
transgressions  to  pass  by — transgressions  in  bi'oad- 
cloth  and  in  silks  and  satins. 

Men  and  women,    either  from  the  love  of   ease,  or 


19 

money,  wish  to  cover  up  one  sin  by  the  doing  of  an- 
other. So  countless  souls  are  ushered  into  eternity 
without  even  the  experience  of  being  born  into 
earth  life.  A  man  who  would  be  hung  should 
he  murder  a  child  six  weeks  old,  with  the  greatest 
carelessness,  murders  a  child  six  or  eight  weeks  af- 
ter the  decree  has  gone  forth  that  another  soul  shall 
develop  a  body  with  which  to  meet  the  experience 
of  earth  life.  And  thus  the  sin  goes  on.  Mothers 
in  fashionable  life  shrink  from  that  which  nature 
demands,  and  without  thinking  of  refraining  from  the 
cause,  destroy  the  result.  They  not  only  exult  that 
they  have  again  become  free,  but  they  plunge  all 
the  more  deeply  into  the  dissipations  and  wickedness 
of  earth  life  and  like  the  miller,  flitting  around  the 
deadly  flame,  soon  destroy  self. 

Competent  physicians  inform  me  that  each  abor- 
tion means  five  years  less  of  life  to  the  mother;  and 
once  she  has  permitted  the  deadly  sin  to  occur,  she 
puts  her  physical  system  in  ten  times  the  peril  of 
natural  childbirth.  This  must  needs  be  so,  as  it  is 
an  outrage  on  the  ph3'sical,  and  a  dragging  down  of 
the  spiritual.  It  not  only  destroys  the  body  of  the 
child,  but  it  so  dwarfs  the  natural  growth  of  its  soul 
that  many  years  will  be  required  to  get  it  into  line 
again. 

Wealth  destroys  children  to  shirk  the  responsibil- 
ities of  life;  and  poverty  destroys  them,  often  inno- 
cently and  from  the  force  of  circumstances.  The 
over-crowdeddwellings  of  the  poor,  seem  to  teach  no 
lessons  to  the  masses.  If  a  child  is  gestated  and 
born,  under  the  best  conditions  once    in  five   years, 


20 

it  is  all  that  is  right  for  a  father  or  mother  to  endure. 
Allowing  the  passions  to  have  full  sway,  even  in 
married  life,  is  a  deadly  sin,  because  it  sinks  human- 
ity lower  than  the  brutes.  It  disorganizes  society, 
makes  the  woman  flee  from  her  husband,  and  brings 
to  life  dwarfed  bodies  and  dwarfed  mentalities.  1 
hope  I  do  not  put  it  too  strong  when  I  say  that  at 
least  one  third  of  the  children  born  in  earth  life  ai-e 
the  result,  not  of  earnest  prayer  to  reproduce  the 
likeness  of  a  loved  object,  but  simply  of  an  over-ex- 
cited imagination  and  uncontrolled  passions. 

Therefore,  these  children  have  inherent  in  their 
very  beings,  the  results  of  a  past  when  they  were 
helpless,  and  they  must  suffei'  for  every  one  of  the 
diseases  and  passions  implanted  in  them.  Children 
that  come  unwelcome,  with  the  daily  wish  in  the 
mother's  heart  that  she  should  be  freed  from  her 
burden,  often  inherit  such  a  passion  for  murder  as 
almost  amounts  to  a  mania.  The  Pomeroy  boy 
murderer  is  as  innocent  in  himself  as  an  angel.  The 
mother  during  pregnancy  was  forced  by  a  brutal 
husband  to  help  hold  the  quivering  animals  after  he 
had  dealt  the  death  blow.  The  contact  of  hands, 
the  anguish  of  the  creatures  were  all  so  pictured  on 
her  mind,  that  she  brought  forth  one  who  exulted  in 
agony  and  death.  Surely  the  sin  and  ignorance  of 
one  generation  shall  descend  to  another.  That  boy's 
name  has  been  sounded  all  over  the  world,  while  he 
is  innocent.  The  child  victims  who  fell  under  his 
hands,  were  the  outgrowth  of  a  cause  which  must 
go  on  until,  like  troubled  waters,  their  very  motion 
and  existence  will  create  purity. 


21 

Mothers,  all  over  the  land,  who  claim  to  love  your 
children,  do  think  of  the  blasted  lives  you  have 
sent  into  spirit  life  unasked,  and  with  only  the  tiny 
germs  of  development  that  you  either  in  wicked- 
ness or  ignorance,  gave  to  them.  Can  you  wonder 
that  even  angels  are  not  strong  enough  to  take  the 
little  lives  which  must  begin  in  impurity  and  clear 
all  the  weeds  out  of    their  hearts  ?  No,  the    un- 

developed one  must  seek  in  earth  life  and  from  its  nat- 
ural protectors  or  from  others,  the  strength  to  grow 
in  spirit  life. 

Therefore,  when  they  visit  the  mother  and  find 
no  love  in  her  heari,  it  engenders  intense  hatred. 
It  often  calls  out  the  worst  in  their  natures,  and 
makes  them  attach  themselves  to  negative  persons 
who  will  brave  temptation  for  awhile  and  then  suc- 
cumb. There  are  places  here  where  such  little  in- 
fants are  kept  in  darkness  and  quiet  until  the  time 
when  th-ey  should  have  been  born,  and  loving,  attend- 
ant spirits  try  to  quench  the  spark  of  hatred  and 
make  pure  souls  of  them.  But  as  soon  as  these 
dwarfed  spirits  are  free  to  act  for  themselves  they  as 
naturally  gravitate,  in  most  instances,  to  the  very 
gutters  of  earth  life,  as  the  moth  does  to  the  candle. 

So  doctors  in  broadcloth,  bought  with  the  money 
you  have  obtained  for  committing  the  dastardly 
crime  ;  so  women,  who  have  transformed  yourselves 
into  fiends  by  that  murderous  practice,  stop  and  think 
whether  it  will  pay— for  every  child  forced  into  the 
spirit  world  by  your  hands,  will  be  demanded  years 
and  years  of  reparation.      A  hell  is  as  necessary  as  a 


22 

heaven,  and  you  cannot  help  but  suffer  from  the 
outgrowth  of  your  own  wrongs. 

Men,  who  make  laws,  you  have  indeed  been  lax  in 
enforcing  them.  The  mighty  dollar  is  all-potent, 
and  sometimes  I  fear  will  close  the  mouth  of  the 
most  powerful  officer  of  the  law. 

What  a  mockery!  Right  before  your  eyes  in  this 
city  (Springfield,  Mass.)  are  daily  sold  drugs,  and 
are  often  performed  operations  that  are  like  throw- 
ing pebbles  into  the  sea,  making  enlarged  circles  of 
wrong,  which  will  go  on  for  man}^  years. 

What  are  you  thinking  of?  Can  you  afford  to 
turn  the  tide  of  your  lives  into  the  swift  channels 
of  wickedness  and  misery?  The  world  will  move 
on,  but  if  I  could  make  you  stop  and  think,  and 
have  the  thinking  result  in  a  better  growth,  I  should 
feel  more  honor  came  of  it  than  to  be  the  ruler  of  a 
kingdom.  Samuel   Bowles. 


PAPER  SIXTH. 
life's  bills  of  sale. 
I  have  hesitated  much  as  to  what  ought  to  come 
in  direct  line  with  my  later  papers,  but  I  feel  I  must 
touch  on  ground  which  my  happy  home  life  there, 
and  the  multitudinous  work  before  me,  scarce  gave 
me  cause  or  time  for  serious  forethought. 

But  as  I  have  written  of  "legalized  murders" 
and  "  unlegalized  murders, !  I  feel  it  might  not  be 
amiss  to   touch   upon,    with    ungloved   fingers,    the 


23 

cause  in  some  degree,  of  all  the  filth  and  wickedness 
of  earth  life. 

I  have  looked  into  faces  here  that  bore  the  marks 
of  a  wicked  life.  I  have  heard  histor}^  after  histor}' 
of  ''life's  hills  of  sale,"  where,  because  there  was 
wealth  and  glitter,  because  tliere  were  stately  man- 
sions and  costly  equipages,  because  the  parent  iu 
his  seeming  wealth  was  sometimes  the  slave  of  the 
wooer,  because  a  daughter  was  sometimes  willing  to 
be  sacrificed  to  a  father's  necessities,  the  hand  is  of- 
ten given  when  the  heart  is  not  quickened  by  one 
thought  of  love  for  the  man  who  would  soon  become 
her  owner.  I  hope  I  do  not  put  it  too  strong — was 
she  not  bought  with  a  price  ?  But  the  sacrifice 
must  go  on.  Fashion,  mighty  in  its  reign,  must  be 
satisfied.  The  confusion,  congratulations,  hasty  jour- 
ney, may  bring  a  glo\V  to  the  cheek  and  people  may 
enwy  her  high  [)osition  ;  but  after  all,  if  ever  ''bill  of 
sale"  was  made  out  for  one  of  Afric's  sons,  that 
woman  has  sold  out  all  that  was  available  of  self. 

But  all  was  not  available.  A  feeling  of  satisfac- 
tion may  be  felt  that  she  has  done  so  well  (as  the 
world  counts  it)  and  helped  her  parents  out  of  difi- 
culties,  but  there  is  not  a  woman's  heart  in  all  the 
earth  but  has,  hidden  away  in  its  secret  depths,  an 
*' ideal  "  pure  and  holy  ;  and  though  often  in  these 
sacrifices  she  does  not  feel  she  has  ever  seen  the  real 
counterpart  of  her  nature,  there  is  danger  every  day 
that  the  depths  of  her  soul  may  be  stirred  by  this 
new  realization. 

But  time  goes  on.       The  woman,  finding   nothing 


24 
to  satisfy  in  the  home  relation,  plunges  into  fashion's 
vortex.  The  pale  cheek  grows  paler,  and  commin- 
gled with  her  life  there  may  be  another  life  strug- 
gling for  existence.  The  struggle  is  unequal.  No 
pictures  of  joy  for  the  future  rise  to  that  woman's 
heart.  Strange  hands,  working  only  for  the  means 
that  their  care  of  it  will  bring,  will  administer  every 
thing  to  lessen  trouble  and  keep  it  quiet. 

Unnatural  food  may  do  the  rest,  and  the  child 
comes  over  here  undeveloped,  with  but  few  ele- 
ments in  itself  whereon  the  spirit  world  can  work, 
and  give  it  the  needed  spiritual  growth.  Or,  if  the 
chain  of  its  earthly  existence  shall  have  been 
snapped  before  the  time  for  its  entrance  into  earth 
life,  and  its  little  life  cast  out  into  the  great  sea  of 
eternity,  the  best  that  can  be  done  cannot  soon  mend 
the  broken  links  of  its  being,  and  it  must  of  ne- 
cessity remain  long  an  undeveloped  spirit  here. 

You  there,  wonder  why  spirits  should  ever  be 
untruthful ;  because  the  word  spirit  should  signify 
purity.     Send  over  pure  spirits  and  less  dwarfs. 

Beside  the  very  carriage  of  the  person  we  have 
pictured,  may  be  seen  a  shop  girl,  fair  in  form  and 
feature,  but  bearing  the  imprint  of  poverty.  The 
best  she  can  do,  she  can  only  pay  for  some  wretched 
room  and  the  plainest  food  and  raiment.  But'slie  is 
told  that  she  cannot  appear  before  their  class  of 
customers  until  she  dresses  better.  These  words 
may  mark  the  way  for  an  immortal  soal. 

Temptation  is  waiting  outside.  A  smile  will 'al- 
most bu}^  her  a  dress,  and  one  week's  compliance  in 
dishonor  give  her   more  real  gain   than  a  3'ear  of  the 


25 

strictest  economy.  The  more  she  sins  the  easier  it 
comes  to  sin.  Little  lives  started  in  infamy  are  sent 
to  us.  The  weary  soul  will  always  find  her  sisters 
ready  to  hold  their  skiits  far  away  as  if  to  escape 
contagion,  while  the  one  who  made  her  thus  is  wel- 
comed into  the  first  society.  Mothers  lay  snares  for 
their  daughters'  benefit,  while  his  victims  are  suffer- 
ing, mayhap,  keen  remorse  ;  and  he  who  is  tenfold 
more  guilty,  has  a  grand  palace  in  the  great  world. 

Who  is  the  prostitute?  Who,  in  the  sight  of 
heaven  is  most  guilty;  the  one  who  sells  herself  for 
a  place  in  the  world  of  fashion,  or  she  who  sees 
starvation  or  crime  before  her  ? 

I  am  thankful  that  there  are  better  avenues  open- 
ing for  woman,  and  that  the  chance  will  be  given 
if  she  wishes  to  be  pure,  she  may  be.  But  the  whole 
social  relationship  of  the  world  is  on  a  wrong  basis, 
and  to  change  it  to  anytliing  like  harmonious  rela- 
tions, or  the  chance  for  them,  would  be  to  disor- 
ganize society,  and  make  for  a  time,  a  chaos  of  affairs. 

Yet  we  in  spirit  life  shall  work,  not  only  for  your 
happiness  there,  but  to  make  happier  the  first  en- 
trance into  spirit  life. 

The  world  is  like  the  rivers  and  smaller  streams, 
all  making  their  way  to  the  great  sea  ;  and  so  the 
motley  crowd  are  coming,  one  by  one  or  in  great 
numbers,  into  this  ocean  of  eternit}'. 

The  work  of  reform  should  begin  when  the  germ 
is  developing.  The  mother,  if  she  i>ees  the  great 
mistake  of  her  life,  must  throw  upon  the  unborn, 
thoughts  of  beauty  and  purity.  Nor  does  the  work 
end  with  the  mother.  When  fathers  learn  the  great 
law  of  attte-natal  conditions,  they  must  work  for  the 


26 

perfection  of  the  human  embryo  much  more  faith- 
fully than  for  its  amusement  an^support  when  it  is 
a  living,  self-existent  soul. 

With  what  ardor  does  a  man  devote  his  mind  to 
the  perfecting  of  fancy  stock,  while  often  times  he 
allows  his  wife  to  be  overworked  at  the  time  she  is 
preparing  to  make  him  father  of  an  immortal  soul. 
Men  and  women,  stop  and  think  !  Pay  as  much 
attention  to  the  mother  as  to  the  animals  in  your 
barns. 

When  people  are  born  right,  when  children  are 
instructed  that  the  most  perfect  and  necessary  ele- 
ments of  their  being  must  be  kept  pure  and  holy  for 
the  reproduction  of  the  race — when  children  are 
taught  these  things  in  the  safe  precincts  of  home, 
and  not  allowed  to  learn  them  on  the  street  :  when 
the  most  beautiful  and  grand  of  nature's  worki^ 
shall  be  talked  of  sensibly  and  unblushingly,  and 
not  degraded  by  a  vile  imagination — then  will  be 
thrown  into  this  troubled  pool  something  that  shall 
purify  it  completely. 

That  does  not  sound  like  Sam.  Bowles,  will  be 
said  by  many  lips,  and  I  will  say  it  is  not  said  by  the 
Bowles  whose  life  was  so  intermingled  in  the  chaot- 
ic sea  of  party  and  politics,  but  by  the  thinking 
Sam.  Bowles,  who  knows  that  if  i)olitics  or  any  oth- 
er essential  of  the  great  world  is  ever  made  pure,  it 
must  be  so  by  striking  at  the  roots  of  existent  «vils, 
and  not  by  pecking  gingerly  at  the  little  twigs 
whose  growth  is  only  strengthened  by  the  slight 
pruning.  Samuel  Bowles. 


'Zi 


PAPER  SEVENTH. 

THE  EFFECTS  OF  WAR  AND  SUDDEN  DEA  I  H 
BY  ACCIDENT  ON  PEOPLE  ENTERING  SPIRIT  LIFE. 

It  is  often  said  in  your  world,  if  spirits  possess  a 
superior  knowledge,  why  cannot  they  prevent  some 
of  these  blood-curdling  accidents  that,  at  one  stroke, 
usher  hundreds  into  eternity  ?  I  will  try  to  give 
you  what  light  I  have  received  on  this  question. 

We  can  see  the  cause  which  is  to  produce  an  ef- 
fect long  before  you  can,  because  our  brain-power  is 
more  subtle,  our  power  of  locomotion  more  rapid, 
and  the  thousand  ilU  attached  to  earthly  bodies  af- 
fect the  spirit  but  slightly.  Therefore,  had  there 
been  in  the  late  accidents  anything  premeditated, 
and  the  thought  of  their  being  brought  about  been 
in  any  one's  brain,  the  friends  over  here  of  those 
who  would  be  in  most  danger  would,  and  could  have, 
were  a  medium  available,  prevented  such  accidents  ; 
or  had  there  been  a  seeming  increase  of  carelessness 
that  might  in  the  near  future  produce  the  effect,  that 
also  could  have  been  prevented,  were  the  right  sen- 
sitives within  our  control.  But,  so  far  as  my  obser- 
vation has  extended,  we,  spirits  govern  the  spirit  of 
prophecy  only  so  far  as,  by  virtue  of  our  interest  for 
our  lovod  ones,  we  are  able  to  perceive  the  cloud, 
not  so  large  as  a  man's  hand,  that  shall  at  last  burst 
over  their  heads. 

An  experienced  spirit-physician  can  for  tell  death 
in  the  most  natural  way.  Added  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  human  is  the  clear  sightedness  which  renders 
it  possible  for  his    practiced  eye,    not  to  gaze  at   the 


28 

outer,  but  to  look  through  the  frame,  seeing  the  ten- 
dency and  calculating  how  long  it  will  take  that 
cause  to  produce  the  effect  of  a  change  of  body. 

The  years  I  have  spent  in  ray  spirit  body  are  be- 
ginning in  a  measure,  to  teach  me  the  possibilities 
of  myself  ;  and  my  field  of  study  is  broad  as  the 
universe. 

We  converse  with  each  other  when  told  of  some 
accident  which  has  brought  its  victims  over.  When 
there  are  many  coming  there  is  no  confusion.  Those 
most  competent  are  delegated  by  that  order  which 
is  heaven's  first  law,  to  assist  the  spirit-relatives  to 
help  their  earth-friends  over  ;  for  in  our  life  as  well 
as  in  yours,  emotions  move  the  soul  and  those  real- 
ly competent  to  help  loosen  the  the  cord  of  life  in 
others,  when  it  comes  to  their  own,  are  made  incom- 
petent by  their  own  emotions,  unless  much  experi- 
enced. 

At  all  places  where  horrors  are  many,  spirits 
from  the  upper  grades  of  spirit  life  work  with  as 
much  ardor  to  help  the  unfortunate  as  though  the 
ties^  of  blood  were  strong  between  tliera. 
This  subject  of  accidents  and  war,  and  their  effects 
on  those  coming  through  them  to  spirit  life,,  is  a 
broad  one.  How  oiten  in  earth  life  1  used  to  hear 
people  say,  **Thank  God,  he  was  killed  instantly  ; 
he  did  not  suffer  in  the  least!  ''  And  I  thought  it 
almost  a  death  to  he  envied.  But  now  that  I  have 
learned  something  of  the  mission  of  suft^ering,  I  see 
the  natural  way  is  far  better,  that  is,  to  change  by 
disease  which  ends  in  death. 

Nature  is  a  mighty  sovereign.  She  will  not  be 
cheated    one  iota  out  of  her  work!       Slie  is  all  pow- 


29 
arful,  and  therefore,  on  the  mighty  battle-ground 
where  hundreds  of  men  fall,  changed  in  a  few  mo- 
ments to  the  spiritual,  the  first  movement  of  the 
spirit  is  to  reach  for  the  deadly  weapon  which  was 
iu  his  earthly  hand.  Murder,  war  and  bloodshed 
are  still  rife  in  his  f-oul.  The  kindly  faces  bent 
above  him  are,  to  his  disturbed  imagination,  the  fa- 
ces of  the  enemy.  The  far-off  din  of  battle  wakens 
in  him,  fight. 

It  is  very  hard,  at  times  to  convince  them  that  they 
are  in  spirit  life.  The  shock  to  the  body,  taken 
over  in  any  sudden  way,  shocks  the  spirit — more  so 
when  anger  is  in  the  heart,  or  ambition  to  be  brave 
in  battle,  than  when  unexpected  accidents  bring  them 
over. 

They  have  lacked  some  of  the  experiences  of  earth 
life,  which  they  should  have  had;  and  therefore, 
they  are  to  make  up  for  that  through  slower  growth 
Thus,  under  the  great,  blue  canopy  of  spirit  life, 
there  are  hospitals  for  sick  souls,  the  same  as  in 
earth  life  there  are  for  sick  bodies.  Warm  hearts 
sympathize  with  them;  friendly  hands  show  them  how 
to  manage  the  new^  form.  They  are  led  to  their  old 
homes,  taught  the  way  to  return  whenever  the  tele- 
graphic chord  of  love  draws  tham  downward  ;  and 
as  they  grow  stronger  and  their  tastes  for  new  light 
are  developed,  those  \v\h)  loved,  them  in  earth 
life,  but  have  been  here  longer,  giaduallyshow  them 
that  they  can  enter  into  heavenly  joys  and  be  content 
to  rise.  Thus  do  they  at  length  assume  the;  duties  of 
the  new  life,  and  throw  off  from  them  tli^  effects  of 
being  robbed  of  that  wliich 'should  be  the, possession 
of  every  soul — the  clia?ice  t;o  ripen  to  the  best  possi- 


30 

1)1  e  degree  on  earth    before    being-   ushered   into   the 
experiences  of  spirit  life.  Samuel  Bowles. 


PAPER   EIGHTH. 

HEAVEN  IS  WORK — THE  CL(THI>GOF  SPIRITS — 
SPIRITS  ARE  INTERESTED  IN  OUR  POLITICAL  ELEC- 
rJONS — CHURCHES — PLACES  OF  AMUSEMENT—  EDU- 
CATION OF  CHILDREN. 

The  usual  idea  of  heaven  is  resi.  The  idea  of 
••rest  for  the  weary,  "  is  still  prevalent  in  earth 
life  :  but  each  awakens  to  the  great  truth  that  hea- 
ven's rest  is  work — work  in  its  highest  sense. 

Also  the  thought  exists  in  many  minds  that  heav- 
en is  freedom — and  so  it  is  to  a  disciplined  spiiit,  for 
the  interests  of  spirit  life  are  so  precious  that  such 
an  one  will,  of  his  own  free  will,  naturally  gravitate 
to\N'ard  that  work  most  necessaiy  to  be  done,  while 
an  undisciplined  heart  has  to  learn  by  degrees  that 
the  law  must  be  fulfilled. 

The  temptation  to  describe  to  you  my  spirit  home 
in  some  single  chapter,  grows  sti-onger  and  stronger. 
Still  1  fear  that  in  delineating  it  in  all  its  features,  I 
may  fail  to  thro  a-  ovel'it  that  spiritual  halo,  always 
existing,  though  I  would  impress  upon  your  minds 
that,  like  your  earthly  homes,  it  is  a  tangible  thing, 
r  will,  however,  if  I  decide  to  enter  into  the  minutijv 
eiideavor  to  give  to  each  idea  that  spiritual  coloring 
which  would  disarm  the  most  critical. 

Thave  told  you  heaven  is  work,  but  still  Jio  busy 
liands  are  making  our  wardrobe,  no  tired  ones  cleanse 
them.  Do  we  always  wear  the  same  clothing?  is  of- 
ten asked.  I  will  answer,  no.  For  as  the  spirit  grows, 


31 

as  its  capacity  for  good  enlarge.^,  our  raiment growr- 
brighter.  It  changes  in  texture,  and  assumes  beau- 
ties before  unknown. 

Dress  in  your  life  depends  upon  the  state  of  the 
pocket;  here,  on  the  state  of  the  soul.  Therefore, 
it  is  not  strange  tons  see  a  spirit  clothed  in  the 
plainest  garb,  while  even  then  the  old  body  is  be- 
ing arrayed  in  the  finest  of  satin.  On  the  other' 
hand,  I  have  seen  spirits  here  so  gorgeously  clothed 
that  they  looked  like  white,  glittering  forms.  I 
have  no  words  to  describe  the  texture  or  its  manu- 
facture, for  it  comes  just  as  naturally  as  the  si>irit 
body,  and  as  I  said,  the  increase  in  beauty  of  body 
is  in  proportion  to  the  increase  of  soul-worth.  The 
manner  and  fashion  of  dressing  as  in  earth,  we  leave 
behind,  save  when  we  wish  to  appear  to  our  eartli 
friends  in  a  natural  way  :  then,  from  the  elements 
we  can  extract  from  the  clothing  of  those  aroun.d, 
we  are  taught  to  clothe  ourselves  for  the  time  being. 

Also,  in  appearing  to  the  clairvoyant's  vision,  we 
are  instructed  to  ajipear,  if  possible,  in  garbs  which 
have  a  resemblance  to  what  we  wore  there,  themore 
readily  to  be  recognized  by  old  friends. 

In  this  partial  descriptir>n  of  my  life  here,  I  am 
trying  to  give  you  an  acconntof  scenes  atid  employ- 
ments as  they  are  on  the  phuie  of  progression,  I  now 
occupy,  while  one  year  hence  I  may  be  able  to  enter 
into  glories  as  yet  iinthought  of  by  me. 

In  these  homes  we  enjoy  sweet  communion  with 
kindred,  unalloyed  by  the  cares  of  earth.  Here  those 
who  left  you,; aged  and  wrinkled  with  a  long  life  of 
hard  work,  are  again  in  the  prime  of.  life.  Old  age 
is  a  garment  worn  out,  and  with  weakness,  sickness 
and  care,  is  left  in  the  past.-     • 


32 
Not  only  have  we  homes  for  the  enjoymeni  of  all 
that  homes  ever  meant,  but  we  have  associations  and 
organizations,  carried  on  under  the  strictest  parlia- 
mentary rules,  to  devise  means  to  develop  tliose 
who  come  to  us  unripe  ;  also,  to  throw  our  influence 
over  earthly  associations,  and  cause  them  to  do  ef- 
ficient work.  We  have  places  for  gathering  where 
all  side  issues  are  discussed. 

We  have  our  Spiritual  Congress  for  our  nation's 
interest,  which  by  developing  harmony  and  engen- 
dering a  right  spirit,  is  enabled  to  throw  a  greater 
influence  over  your,  earthly  Congress.  There  are 
many  impediments  to  our  even  partial  control,  but 
mighty  minds  are  working  with  power,  ten-fold 
greater  than  those  in  earth  life,  to  help  strengthen 
any  moves  in  the  right  direction,  and  make  them  ef- 
fective for  the  nation's  good. 

We  not  only  watch  most  anxiously  who  is  elected 
to  office  (and  if  we  find  him  a  sensitive,  throw  upon 
his  mind  ideas  which  shall  enter  into  the  great  work) 
but  we  exert  as  strong  an  influence  as  possible  to 
have  those  elected  upon  whom  we  can  act.  Those 
of  otlier  nations  take  the  same  Interest  in  their  own 
affairs. 

We  continue  to  Iiave  this  interest  till,  in  the  law 
of  eternal  growth,  these  matters  which  now  seem  so 
important  to  us  will  then  appear  of  less  moment,  and 
our  dropped  threads  will  i>e  taken  up  by  other  hands 
which  will  come  after  us,  and  woven  into  a  beau- 
tiful fabric  for  the  benefit  of  those  who  still  labor  in 
earth  life. 

If  spirit  life  was  made  up  of  people    who    loved 
to   pursue    the  same  course,  it  would  soon  grow  so 


inonototious  a-^  bo  make  the  heart  sigh  for  variety, 
but  it  is  not  so.  The  churchman  loves  to  have  some 
place  for  worship  ;  the  pleasure  seeker  wishes  to  go 
to  places  for  amusement:  the  enthusiast,  some  place 
in  which  to  drink  in  the  thoughts  freely  given  by 
noble  minds;  the  children  must  needs  attend  schools 
for  their  benefit. 

But  all  these  places  provided  for  the  education  of 
the  soul  are  made  so  beautiful  that  there  can  be  no 
monotony. 

There  is  ever  before  us  the  necessity  of  toning  up 
the  mind  to  its  greatest  capacity,  well  knowing  that 
as  fast  as  it  is  needed,,  our  minds  will  broaden 
and  grow  eager  to  receive  the  heavenly  lessons — les- 
sons which  mean  help  to  those  below  us  and  the 
highest  culture  to  ourselves. 

With  the  children  here,  there  is  no  rebellion  a- 
bout  attending  school,  for  to  be  educated  in  spirit 
life  means  no  books  with  their  medley  of  figures  un- 
til the  brain  grows  dizzy,  but  for  each  one  some 
gentle  guardian  who  slowly,  as  the  soul  can  under- 
stand, causes  it  to  drink  from  the  fountain  of  knowl- 
edge.      Every  lesson  is  demonstrated  by  facts. 

Though  in  earth  life  children  are  often  taught  in 
the  most  imperfect  way,  here  no  organ  is  developed 
at  the  risk  of  others  ;  no  sacrifice  is  made  to  pusli 
them  in  certain  directions:  but  with  eternity  before 
them  there  is  no  need  of  haste. 

So  a  balance  is  kept  up  which  is  destined  to  pave 
tl  e  way  for  efficient  work,  and  encourage  those  who 
n  ust  sooner  or  later,  go  througli  the  same  experience. 
Question — If  children  are  so  well  cared  for  in 
spirit  life,  people  may  say,  why  is  it  not  better  for 
them  to  die  young? 

Answer — Your  criticism   is  a  natural  one  ;    but 


34 

should  I  go  into  the  minutiae  of  the  thought,  it 
would  take  much  space.  The  meaning  is  this  ;  eartli 
life  is  a  school  of  which  children  are  often  vobhed 
by  disease,  resulting  in  death. 

It  is  not  better  for  them  to  come  over  young,  al- 
though the  contingency  is  so  nobly  provided  for. 

The  law  of  spirit  life  is  to  take  up  whatever  is 
dropped  in  earth  life  and  perfect  it.  Much  time  is 
spent  in  perfecting  that  which  is  not  the  legitimate 
work  of  spirit  life,  if  the  law  of  earth  life  had  been 
fulfilled. 

Spirit-children's  ideas  of  earth  life  are  not  as  well 
defined  as  if  they  had  had  its  experiences,  and 
though  often  carried  back  to  the  parents  or  to  other 
proper  persons,  they  cannot  do  as  efficient  woi'k  as 
they  otherwise  would.  T  might  give  many  other  rea- 
sons, but  I  will  not  multiply  words.  I  will  only 
add.  that  to  pass  over  in  childhood  is  not  to  experi- 
ence a  orrowth,  throuj^h  darkness:  and  thus  nature's 
design  is  not  as  well  perfected  b}^  the  transplanting. 

Samuel  Bowles. 


PAPER    NINTH. 

THE    RELIGIONS  OF  EARTH. 

SOMK    OF  THK[K  F,KROUS-H()\V  EVEN  CHURCH  PEOPLE    AUE  l)IS.\PPOINT- 
K1>-HK  I'KOTESIS  AGAINST  A  THEOLOOY  WHICH  SAYS,   ''YOU     MUST  NOT 
KKASC)N"-MONOMANICS  hi  NTINO  FOR.TESUS-DEATH-BEI)  REPENTANCE 
OF  NO  AVAIL-WHAT  THi:  GOOD  SPIRITS    TEACH  ABOUT  KELICION. 

Far  be  it  fiom  me  to  strike  with  a  lude  hand  at 
any  of  the  religious  or  educational  institutions  of 
the  day.  And  seeing  as  I  do  daily,  the  mistakes  a- 
risin^-   therefrom,  T    cannot    withold    fiom  using  the 


35 

pen  ill  a  strong  appeal  to  the  thinkers  of  earth  life 
to  know  whither  they  are  drifting. 

I  would  not  if  I  could,  strike  at  the  heart  of  the 
church  and  creed,  but  were  it  in  my  power  would 
open  widely-the  shutters  and  let  in  the  light.  I  know 
that  the  lives  of  many,  even  under  the  ^'droppings 
of  the  sanctuary"  are  impure.  They  maintain  their 
position  only  to  answer  to  the  call  of  some  sordid 
purpose,  and  from  the  teachings  of  the  church,  look- 
ing forward  to  some  time  when  they  shall  have  lived 
their  earth  Jives  nearly  out,  the}-  will  throw  their 
sins  on  Jesus,  and  be  forgiven. 

Such  a  doctrine  given  out   to  a   grasping  world  is 
pernicious.  There   is    no   forgiveness  save    that 

wrought  out  by  the  suffering  of  self,  and  where 
the  sin  is,  there  the  suffering  must  be,  as  the  dire 
result  of  the  cause.  And  now  as  I  have  had  some 
experience,  I  will  tell  you  why  I  feel  this  utter  re- 
pugnance to  the  idea  taught  on  earth  that  no  mat- 
ter what  the  lives  of  people  are,  no  matter  what 
their  sins  may  be,  repentance  will  bring  them  for- 
Griveness  at  the  end  of  the  route. 

A  few  instances  I  have  observed  of  the  intense 
disappointment  of  even  people  who  have  been  in  the 
church  almost  all  their  lives,  have  awakened  in  my 
heart  the  desire  to  so  inform  others  that  they  may 
build  up  hopes  different  from  the  olden  ones  of  "all 
in  Jesus  !  "  I  would  not  dim  the  glory  of  this  man 
of  sorrows:  I  would  not  have  the  world  look  with 
less  awe  upon  a  life  that  ended  on  the  cross  ;  nor 
would  I,  if  I  could,  change  the  idea  of  follow- 
ing that  example,  which  says,  ''As  ye  would 
that  others  should  do  unto  you,  do   ye  even  so  unto 


86 
them  ;''  for  so  far  as  one  can  in  a  selfish  world,  do  so 
it  will  be  a  discipline  here. 

But  my  greatest  protest  is  against  that  theology 
which  says  to  its  hearers,  "You  must  not  reason,  you 
must  trust ;  you  must  not  inquire  into  the  mysteries 
of  the  Most  High  ;  you  must  put  away  from  your 
mind  all  other  thought  of  being  saved  except  through 
the  cross  of  Christ.  " 

I  have  seen  those  whose  vision,  dying, was  opened 
to  the  spirit  world,  declare  they  saw  the  face  of  Je- 
sus, and  the  watchers,  with  holy  awe,  would  feel 
like  bowing  down  to  the  great  Presence,  when  real- 
ly it  was  the  face  of  some  loving  relative,  holding 
out  a  hand  of  welcome  which  the  departing  one  saw. 

Much  patience  is  required  to  bring  tliat  spirit  in- 
to an  acquaintance  with  tlie  fact.  The  throne  of 
God,  the  shining  face  of  his  Savior,  are  all  the  time 
being  prayed  for.  Even  the  tenderest  care  of  loved 
ones  who  have  long  been  over,  fails  to  satisfy  the 
hunerer  of  a  false  education. 

The  Catholic  faith  in  some  degree  is  true-that  such 
spirits  have  to  go  through  a  sort  of  purgatory  before 
they  can  enjuy  the  bliss  of  spirit  lifti. 

My  heart  is  sad  to  think,  if  the  old  Book  is  fol- 
lowed in  some  things,  why  [)eop]e  do  not  take  more 
closely  to  heart  that  passage  which  says,  '^God.  who 
will  lender  to  every  man  according  to  his  deeds.'* 
That  would  avert  niu(;h  of  the  disappointment,  for 
then  they  would  know,  even  though  they  hope  tkey 
are  forgiven,  that  the  old  stains  must  be  wiped  out 
by  earnest  work  here, 

I  am  told  that  there  are  spirits  here  who  have  foi 
years    been     monomaniacs    on    the    one     question, 


37 
"Huntino'  for  Jesus.  "       And  it  is  sad  to  see  the  dis- 

o 

appointment  of  so  many  who  come  over  here,  ex- 
pecting a  literal  fulfillment  of  the  descriptions  of 
heaven  which  the  Bible  presents. 

I  have  often  wished  for  an  opportunity  to  give 
some  little  crumbs  of  knowledge  on  this  subject.  Had 
I  studied  into  it  more  when  in  earth  life,  I  might  not 
have  felt  it  so  deej)ly  now.  I  would  not  take  away 
one  comfort  the  church  gives,  but  I  would  add  more 
to  it,  and  show  that  [»eople  must  prepare  for  a  natu- 
ral heaven. 

There  are  those  who  come  over  here,  steeped  in 
crime,  who,  because  of  the  supposed  agonies  of  death 
which  would  assail  the  body,  and  the  agonies  of 
fear  which  assailed  the  mind,  were  visited  by  those 
who  tried  to  comfort  them  by  repeating  the  words 
of  Him,  who  when  on  the  cross  said,  ''To  day 
thou  shalt  be  with  me  in  Paradise.  '*  And  with  the 
excitement  and  prayers  they  appeared  to  die  happy. 

''Thank  God,  they  repented  at  last,  "  is  said  by 
fervent  voices.  And  the  souls  expecting  to  be  with 
Jesus  in  Paradise,  come  ovei-  where  they  reject  the 
comfort  and  help  extended  to  every  one  who  enters 
upon  spirit  life. 

They  knew  their  lives  had  been  vile,  but  still  they 
had  heard  so  much  ot"  forgiveness  that  they  feel  as 
if  some  particular  injustice  had  been  done  to  them  ; 
and  it  sometimes  takes  us  very  long  to  raise  them 
from  a  hell  they  have  built  by  their  earth  lives.  The 
steps  which  lean  upward  are  so  slow,  their  propen- 
sities to  evil  so  grey.'t,  it  is  so  much  easier  to  come 
back  to  earth  and  live  wickedness  ovei'  again  than  to 
rise.  The  whole  tendency   is  downward.  J  have  felt 


38 

shocked  that  this  great  law  is  so    true  to   itself,  that 
what  ye  sow  that  shall  ye  reap. 

I  wish  that  no  picture  shall  be  overdrawn.  I  know 
])y  old  experience  that  the  idea  many  people  enter- 
tain of  Spiritualism,  is  that  it  gives  the  freest  license; 
that  to  live  as  one  pleases,  to  discard  restraint,  in 
fact,  to  let  loose  all  the  prominent  propensities,  and 
indulge  in  them,  is  the  sum  total  of  spiritual  exis- 
tence. 

But  not  so.  True  Spiritualism  promises  nothing 
of  the  kind.  It  teaches  in  the  highest  sense,  that 
man's  works  do  follow  him.  It  shows  the  soul  that 
it  must  not  expect  to  transgress  one  law  of  the  moral 
or  physical  world  and  escape  the  recoil  upon  itself. 

It  teaches  that  the  body  sliould  be  the  pure  tem- 
ple for  the  soul,  and  an}^  abuses,  any  excesses,  any 
inclination  to  degrade,  will  drag  the  soul  down.  It 
Leaches  that  there  can  be  no  repentance  effectual 
save  through  self-suffering,  worked  out  by  slow  de- 
grees, and  even  then  the  scar  is  left.  It  shows  men 
that  if  life  is,  it'  is  ever  existent,  and  that  the  two 
properties,  good  and  evil,  are  capable  of  growth  but 
surely  the  growth  of  one  is  at  the  expense  of  the 
other.  It  shows  that  unbridled  })assions,  impure 
lives,  are  tlie  outgrowth  of  old  conditions,  but  be- 
cause tolerated,  they  cause  their  victims  long  hours 
of  daikness  and  dispair. 

Spiritualism  builds  no  lofty  churches,  makes  no 
display  in  the  world.  It  teaches  that  each  soul  must 
1)6  a  law  unto  itself.  It  links  together  the  material 
and  the  spiritual,  showing    tliat  Nature  is    Divinity, 

and  exists  in  a  bladr  of  giass  or  in  tlie  iiobhst  j-ouJ. 
I  would  say  to  every  one,  think,  live  lightly,  keep 


89 
the  body  pure,  and  your  soul  wilF  be  corresponding- 
ly better.  Make  every  day  count  you  highei*  in  the 
scale  of  goodness.  Ask  not  others  to  believe,  but 
live  a  life  so  pure  that  they  shall  say,  "Surely  Heav- 
en is  near,  and  they  do  have  conimunion  with  the 
angels."  And  last,  though  not  least  of  all,  Spiritu- 
alism invites  to  learn  this  lesson — no  dread  of  death. 
Death  is  the  friend  that  unbinds  your  chains.  It 
is  ihe  tender  love  of  the  Infinite  that  says,  ''Come 
hither  soul  and  enter  on  your  higher  work."  To  the 
good  and  bad  it  is  alike  a  friend  when  the  bod}-  is 
worn  out.  It  gives  the  good,  chances  for  higher 
work,  greater  usefulness  and  greater  happiness^.  And 
it  sa^^s  to  the  vile,  '*Now  you  have  a  chance  to  work 
out  of  the  old  conditions  and  place  yourself  where 
you  can  grow." 

So,  dread  not  death,  and  complain  not  that  this 
knowledge  is  a  detriment,  for  well  might  it  enter 
every  heart  and  make  it  better,  and  show  all  people 
that  they  cannot  escape  the  consequences  of  an  evil 
life.  Samuel  Bowles. 


PAPFR  TENTH. 
The  law  of  spirit  control,     why  errors 
somp:times  occur. 
The  law  of  spirit  control  is  of  such  a  character,  so 
mysterious  in  its  workings,    so  powerful  for  good  or 
evil,  that  I  feel  I   must  write  one  chapter  upon  this 
subject,  no    matter  if   I  caniuit  explain  it    clearly  to 
the  minds  of  all. 

The  undeveloped  spirit,  in  order  with  any  degree 
of  certainty  to  reach  his  friends,  must  have  tangible 


40 

contact  with  the  medium — a  contact  in  which  this 
spirit  is  trying  to  disphice  all  other  spirits,  waiting 
closely  around.  For  to  one  medium  in  your  life 
there  are  probably  thousands  of  spirits;  and  could 
those  spirits  all  press  upon  this  one  medium,  the  in- 
fluence would  be  so  crushing  that  the  medium  would 
have  hard  work  to  live  in  the  body. 

But  this  pressure  is  in  a  measure  diminished  to 
the  earthly  medium  by  these  spirits  being  obliged 
to  act  through  a  medium  in  spirit  life.  Spirits  in 
this  life  are  daily  helping  to  bring  out  more  medi- 
ums here  to  do  our  work.  You  on  earth  wonder 
why  the  control  of  spirits  differs  so  at  different  times 
and  why  certain  conditions  are  necessarily  different 
with  different  mediums  to  insure  any  chance  for  a 
[)erfect  message,  or  even  an  imperfect  one.  The  me- 
dium acting  in  spirit  is  usually  what  your  mediums 
in  earth  life  call  their  controls. 

A  spirit  not  long  here  or  passing  out  of  the  body 
under  adverse  circumstances,  may  be  dimly  con- 
scious that  he  or  she  is  wanted  to  comfort  earth 
friends.  The  spirit  is  kindly  led  to  one  of  these 
spiritual  post-offices,  and  finds  waiting  friends  there. 
When  under  other  circumstances,  this  spirit  might 
see  his  friends  clearly,  and  have  his  reasoning  facul- 
ties perfect  as  in  earth  life,  yet  often,  because  the 
batteries  by  which  the  contiol  connects  the  sitter's 
brain  with  that  of  the  spirit  are  so  strong,  and  his 
desire  to  comply  with  his  friend's  request  so  great, to- 
gether with  the  pressure  of  the  surrormdings,  the 
many  other  waiting  spirits,  anxious  to  reach  their 
own  friends,  he  is  unable  to  give  only  broken,  dis- 
jointed sentences;  and  when  asked  to  give  his  name, 


41 

could  no  more  do  it  than  a  person  under  the  will  of  a 
mesmerizer,  who  wills  that  his  subject  shall  not  give 
his  name. 

I  have  seen  spirits  all  aglow  with  pleasure,  watch- 
ing their  earth  friends  come  to  a  medium,  hoping  to 
hear  from  their  loved  ones.  The  spirits  would  pre- 
pare what  they  would  communicate,  and  when  the 
chance  came,  the  experience  was  so  strange,  that 
they  were  struck  dumb;  and  if  they  were  questioned 
by  the  spirit  control,  would  in  many  instance,  an- 
swer in  a  way  which  would  detract  from,  rather 
than  show  forth  the  truth. 

The  first  experience  in  controlling  a  medium,  or 
in  acting  upon  the  medium's  control,  is  an  experi- 
ence looked  upon  by  the  denizens  of  spirit  life  as  of 
great  moment,  for  in  that  way  the  heavenly  growth 
is  much  accelerated. 

Again  a  spirit  may,  by  continued  trials,  find  it  easy 
to  control  one  medium,   and  on  their  earth  friends 
going  with  high  hopes  to  another,  be  unable  to  con 
trol  the  second  medium.        Much  depends  upon  the 
sitter's  ideas  and  aims  in  the  matter.       If  the  mind 
is  tranquil,  and  calls  simply  for  truth — for  some  lit- 
tle word  from  their  loved  ones,  and  is  passive  and 
content,  the  sitter  opens  the  way  for  better  control. 
Another  cause  of  failure  is  the  impression  and 
m  ental  atmosphere  the  sitter  throws  upon  the  earthly 
medium,   making  her  feel  that  "you  may  be  honest 
b  ut  you   will   bear   watching,"  shutting  up  her  lips 
and  heart  for  fear  a  stray  idea  may  reach  the  medi- 
um's brain  from  her .       Such  people  deserve  to  be 
disappointed  :   the  love  of    their  so-called  dead  can- 
not awaken  in  the  heart,   charity  for  the  living  me- 
dium. 


42 

There  are  other  causes  for  weakness  in  spirit  con- 
trol. No  one  medium  nor  no  one  spirit  control  can 
meet  the  needs  of  all.  There  are  certain  ele- 
ments in  body  and  soul  as  far  severed  as  the 
antipodes  ;  and  still  the  law  of  opposites  is  used  in 
developing  mediums.  There  are  reasons,  when  the 
earth  medium  is  going  through  a  process  of  renewal, 
(menstruation)  why  there  should  be  no  attempt  to 
get  messages.  The  medium  always  feels  it,  and  if 
any  are  given,  they  are  usually  imperfwct. 

Atmospheric  conditions,  when  it  is  damp  and  low- 
ery,  retard  the  action  of  the  batteries  through  which 
we  work,  while  a  cloudy  day,  with  full  electric  force 
in  the  air,  is  often  a^  good  as  a  bright  day. 

The  law  of  control  must  be  learned  here.  We 
have  to  look  upon  the  machinery  of  the  human  brain 
as  you  would  look  on  machinery  of  which  you  would 
learn  in  earth  life.  One  more  point:  It  is  often 
disputed  that  old  sages  and  tho^e  hundreds  of  years 
in  spirit  life,  could  approacli  earth  life  in  its  gross- 
ness  closely  enough  to  speak  through  the  lips  they 
claim  to.  They  do  not  speak  directly  through  the 
lips  of  a  medium  l)y  actual  contact.  Yet,  hj  their 
superior  wisdom,  they  are  enabled  to  have  know- 
edege  of  those  in  earth  life  and  their  needs. 

I  can  explain  this  best  by  supposing  a  telegraph 
wire  thousands  of  miles  long.  When  a  thought 
touches  the  further  end,  at  each  station  on  the  way, 
that  thought  is  reproduced,  if  the  wires  are  rightly 
placed.  Now  we  act  by  a  system  of  refined  telegra- 
phy. A  mind  (some  wise  spirit)  in  the  upper  spheres 
with  help,    establishes  a   connection  with  a  mind  in 


43 

earth  life,  (a  medium)  so  that  the  thoughts  which 
he  sends  to  the  medium's  brain  are  thrown  off  the 
tongue. 

A  spiritual  telegram  is  started  in  one  of  the  upper 
spheres,  far  from  contact  with  earth,  and  instead  of 
stations  along  the  line,  are  sensitives  in  the  lower 
spirit  spheres,  upon  whose  minds  the  telegram  strikes 
and  gives  these  sensitives  an  impetus  to  speak  the 
words^  until  perhaps  millions  of  spirits  have  heard 
them,  beside  the  small  audience  to  whom  they  are 
addressed  by  the  earthly  agent. 

Cherish  and  tone   up  mediumship,  for  it  reaches 
from  the  highest   heaven    to   the   lowest   hell,   and 
teaches  all,    the  necessity   of  studying   the   law  of 
control. 

Quest.  What  do  you  mean  by  pressure  of  sur- 
roundings ? 

Ans.  The  pressure  of  surroundings  is  first,  the 
waiting  spirits.  Even  though  they  may  politely 
withdraw  their  minds,  they  are  often  busy  estab- 
lishing a  connection  "sufficient  to  comply  with  the 
desires  of  their  earth  friends,  even  as  a  person  in 
your  life  may  kindly  say,  "  I  will  not  interfere,  get 
your  message  first ;  yet  his  mind  is  active  as  to  what 
he  will  ask  when  the  opportunity  comes. 

Another  cause  of  pressure  is  the  shock  felt  when 
the  magnetic  power  between  them  is  established. 
The  earth  friend  feels  it  in  a  degree  if  sensitive;  but 
to  the  spirit  it  is  as  the  rushing  of  mighty  waters, 
because  the  shock  is  intensified  and  made  more 
thrilling  than  the  physical  can  take  from  any  man- 
made  electric  battery. 


44 

Ques.    How  do  you  make  your  spiritual  batteries? 

Ans.  We  establish  the  sensation  by  currents  in 
the  air,  made  for  our  use,  without  the  complicated 
machinery  used  b}'^  mortals. 

Ques.  Of  what  use  is  a  name  or  question  written 
in  a  folded  paper  or  placed  in  a  sealed  envelope,  or 
a  lock  of  hair  from  the  patient,  as  required  by  this 
medium? 

Ans.  The  advantage  gained  is  just  what  has  been 
explained  many  times.  The  medium  is  often  sur- 
rounded more  or  less  by  spirits  who  are  trying  to 
work  upon  her  delicate  oiganitm,  pieparing  for 
some  opportunity  to  communicate  with  their  friends. 
When  a  person,  wishing  a  message,  makes  his  ap- 
pearance, the  "controls"  being  busy  when  the  call 
is  made  for  that  person's  spirit  friend  to  come,  de- 
sire to  get  hold  of  some  tangible  request ;  and  unless 
the  spirit  is  called  upon  in  a  different  way  from  the 
old  one  of  father,  mother,  brother,  wife,  husband,  &c, 
owing  to  the  many  desiring  to  reach  their  earth 
friends,  though  they  may  not  be  obtrusive,  a  confu- 
sion is  produced. 

But  if  the  medium  holds  in  her  hand  the  direction 
to  the  spirit  post-office,  and  thus  gives  the  "control" 
the  name  of  the  spirit  called  for,  it  makes  it  much 
easier  for  him  to  help  the  spirit  to  communicate. 

There  are  different  laws  established  for  different 
mediums  and  "controls."  The  fact  that  the  sitter 
wishes  to  dictate  and  get  messages  in  his  own  way 
is  not  only  detrimental  to  successful  control  by  the 
spirit,  but  often  ends  in  throwing  over  the  medium 
physical  inability  to  work,  and  sometimes  causing 
illness. 


45 

The  lock  of  hair  is  required  for  this  reason:  Ex- 
perienced spirit  physicians  have  learned  to  trace 
through  these  delicate  fibres  the  workings  of  the 
body.  Every  disease  to  which  flesh  is  heir,  leaves  its 
impression  on  the  hair,  and  being  next  to  the  brain,  it 
is  doubly  susceptible  to  all  which  affects  the  body. 

1  may  not  have  answered  these  questions  as  clear- 
ly as  I  ought,  but  I  will  say  that  so  far  as  we  are 
concerned,  every  question  by  the  sitter  could  be 
sealed  and  sowed  up  in  an  envelope,  but  such  a  let- 
ter put  into  the  hands  of  a  medium,  before  the  sit- 
ter, often  throws  this  feeling  over  the  medium;  "He 
cannot  trust  me  even  in  his  own  sight. 

Mediums  may  in  some  cases,  throw  off  this  fuel- 
ing, and  we  succeed,  but  there  is  left  in  the  heart  a 
feeling  of  heaviness,  if  not  of  grief,  that  she  is  an 
object  of  suspicion.  The  medium  may  feel  the  ne- 
cessity and  justice  of  this  course,  but  still  the  idea 
will  be  entertained  often  that  they  are  thought  ill  of. 

Samuel  Bowles. 


PAPER  ELEVENTH. 

SAMUEL    BOWLES'    SPIRIT  HOME.  ,  * 

The  idea  prevalent  among  those  of  earth  life  of 
the  eternal  brotherhood  of  man  over  here,  save  in  a 
general  sense  where  one  has  indeed  become  a  perfec- 
ted spirit,  is  an  erroneous  one.  Though  peace  and 
unity  must  prevail,  yet  it  is  not  always  that  hearts 
beat  in  unison.  It  takes  a  long  time  for  the  spirit 
to  throw  off  entirely  the  old  dislikes.  Although  he 
may  see  where  he  has  been  in  the  wrong,  yet  the  old 
error  clings   to  him.      Why  should  it   not?      Th# 


46 
part  of  the  man  which  hated  is  not  dead.  The  death 
of  the  flesh  cannot  alter  the  thinking  part  save  when 
by  purity  of  action  and  learning  to  live  rightly, 
these  old  tendences  may  be  eliminated.  Therefore, 
with  this  great  variety  of  thought  and  action,  it  is 
certainly  desirable  that  the  spirit  home  should  be 
so  inhabited  that  there  will  be  love,  not  hate. 

In  our  homes  on  earth  we  loved  at  times  to  enter- 
tain friends,  but  after  the  confusion,  how  pleasant 
to  have  a  few  kindred  hearts  alone,  aud  have  sweet 
communion.  Therefore,  the  idea  that  every  one  is 
my  brother,  and  here  in  spirit  life  has  a  right  to  en- 
ter my  home  and  call  it  his,  would  be  like  being 
obliged  to  entertain  company  all  of  the  time,  or  rath- 
er to  have  the  sanctity  of  the  home  always  broken. 

Neither  are  people  who  by  birth,  having  the  same 
parents,  always  real  brothers  or  sisters.  By  the  force 
of  ante-natal  conditions  they  may  be  severed  as  far  a- 
part  as  the  poles. 

Therefore  it  would  cause  the  most  inharmonious 
conditions  for  them  to  reside  together.  In  wisdom 
exceeding  the  wisdom  of  man,  are  oar  homes  made 
up  of  those  we  can  love  the  best,  those  with  whom 
we  can  harmonize  most  completely.  In  every  home 
there  are  rooms  left  vacant  for  the  coming  of 
loved  ones,  and  loving  hands  adorn  them  and  make 
them  ready  for  those  who  seem  nearest  the  portal, 
even  as  tender  hearts  have  prompted  hands  to  fash- 
ion the  clinging  ivy  where  rests  the  motionless  form. 
O!  Love,  thou  art  all  of  life  worth  living  for,  and 
all  of  immortality,  because  thou  art  infinite  !  No 
home  in  spirit   life  is   over-crowded,    and  as  all  who 


47 

are  relatives  cannot  abide  under  one  roof,  there  are 
often  pleasant  visits  to  friends  here.  It  takes  us 
only  a  moment  to  traverse  distances  which  in  earth 
life  would  be  considered  a  great  undertaking. 

All  our  homes  are  not  alike,  but  the  purer  and 
more  worthy  the  spirit,  the  more  beauty  is  prevalent 
all  around.  There  are  such  different  degrees  of 
beauty  needed  to  satisfy  the  different  degrees  of  ap- 
preciation. 

My  spirit  home  is  on  a  rise  of  ground  back  from 
the  public  path,  surrounded  by  a  beautiful  green 
lawn,  with  tke  front  nicely  terraced.  All  around 
are  lofty  trees  which  give  shade  for  resting  places. 
A  variety  of  garden  chairs  are  placed  where  the 
best  views  can  be  obtained  of  mountain,  lake  and 
river.  To  the  right  of  my  home  is  a  large  flower 
garden  where  grow  the  beautiful  soul  parts  of  the 
flowers  of  earth.  Lilies  with  their  white  petals  al- 
most transparent,  roses  with  their  vivid  colorings, 
lilies  of  the  valley  nestled  down  among  their  greeu 
eaves,  hyacinths,  tube  roses  and  verbenas,  all  bloom- 
ing in  unison,  because  they  are  not  dependent  on 
the  season  when  they  become  spirit  flowers. 

The  architecture  of  the  house  is  not  grand  and 
imposing.  It  is  a  large,  square  mansion,  with  a 
wide  hall  in  the  middle;  off  from  which  are  the 
rooms  of  the  several  occupants — rooms  where  we  can 
have  the  strictest  seclusion,  and  enjoy  perfect  re- 
pose— rooms  where,  if  we  wish,  we  can  shut  out  the 
thoughts  of  our  soul-work  and  sleep — not  the  sleep 
of  the  body,  but  to  have  curtains  around  the  soul 
which  gives  us  rest. 


48 
Our  rooms  are  furnished  much  like  yours  there. 
Articles  for  convenience  are  all  around  :  and  to  us 
there  is  a  feeling  of  tangibility  to  everything,  while 
to  our  eyes  all  these  have  that  ethereal  look  which 
conveys  to  our  minds  the  fact  that  we  are  sur- 
rounded by  the  soul  of  things. 

But  they  supply  our  every  need.  About  the 
home  here,  I  have  the  same  regularity  that  I  had  in 
earth  life.  There  are  hours  for  rest,  hours  for  study 
hours  for  partaking  of  our  food  and  hours  in  which 
we  do  the  duties  belonging  to  every  soul — to  raise 
the  fallen  and  show  undeveloped  spirits,  those  taken 
out  of  the  worst  conditions  in  earth  life  how  to  rise, 
how  to  choose  their  spiritual  homes  and  how  to 
adorn  them  :  for  with  souls  who  must  redeem  them- 
selves, who  are  low  and  crude,  the  love  of  the  beau- 
tiful is  supplied  step  by  step,  according  to  their 
growth.  But  wherever  we  are,  whatever  our 
work,  there  is  always  a  magnetic  chord  so  strong 
that  we  can  with  one  vibration,  place  ourselves 
where  we  can  see  the  loved  faces  of  earth  life.  Oh  ! 
may  the  time  come  when  it  will  be  just  as  easy  for 
us  to  communicate  to  them  as  it  is  to  gaze  into  their 
loved  faces  and  \\  atch  the  workings  of  their  minds. 

I  know  I  shall  call  down  censure  and  ridicule  in 
picturing  a  spirit  home  and  a  heaven  so  nearly 
like  the  earthly  t.urroundings,  but  reason  and  com- 
mon sense  must  teach  you  that  if  we  exist  as  person- 
alities, we  must  have  some  place  in  which  to  stay. 

If  you  judge  by  your  own  earth  life,  you  would 
not  be  satisfied  always  to  mix  with  the  motley  crowd 
though  it  was  in  heaven.  So  has  the  All  Power 


49 

ordained  these  things;  and  we,  the  children  of  an 
everlasting  Principle  must  work  out  the  meaning  of 
our  existence  through  eternity. 

Samuel  Bowles. 


PAPER  TWELFTH. 

In  penning  these  papers,  I  am  concious  of  the  ques- 
tions which  may  arise  from  my  inability  to  give  th« 
pen-pictures  as  I  would  wish.  I  know  they  lack  that 
conciseness  and  clearness  which  is  necessary  to  car- 
ry conviction  to  the  mind  of  the  reader  ;  but  when 
I  sa}^  I  am  doing  the  best  I  can,  and  striving  in  this 
waj^  to  attain  to  a  growth  that  will  be  a  help  in  fu- 
ture efforts,  i  know  that  any  fair-minded  reader 
will  look  to  those  parts  which  seem  reasonable 
to  him,  and  compare  the  facts  which  I  have  stated 
with  the  theories  which  are  usually  the  outgrowth 
of  a  false  education. 

If  the  heaven  I  picture  is    too    natural   and   you 
turn  to  the  Book  of    books    for    a    better    descrip- 
tion, ask  yourselves  which  is  the  more  reasonable  ? 

Would  not  your  feet  tire'  of  walking  on  "solid 
gold"  and  you  turn  gladly  to  nature's  green  carpet- 
ing? And  as  to  the  musical  part,  would  not  a  harp 
express  as  much  of  materiality  as  a  piano  or  organ? 

It  is  the  unrealness  existing  in  minds  there  con- 
cerning the  spirit  world  that  I  would  battle  with. 
The  impression  that  just  as  we  find  spirit  life,  just 
so  it  will  remain  through  all  eternity,  is  another  er- 
roneous idea;  for  even  the  short  time]  I  have  been 
here,  I  find  that  every  hour  my  spiritual  vision  awak- 
ens to  new  beauties. 

Of  course,  these  things   existed  on  my   entrance 


50 
here,  but  the  time  for  me  to  enter    into   the   enjoy- 
ment  of   them  had  not  come.     The  tastes  and  dis- 
positions remain   the  same   as   there,   only  as   that 
which  is  impure  is  gradually  left  behind. 

A  grasping  man  will  not  be  content  unless  he 
•an  continue  to  be  grasping  for  those  things  he 
loved.  Those  coming  here  with  strong  inventive 
genius  are  encouraged  in  it,  and  through  the  influ- 
•nce  of  them,  many  of  the  wonderful  pieces  of  mech- 
anism are  constructed  on  the  earth  plane. 

All  that  can  be  done  to  lighten  labor  for  those  in 
•arth  life  and  to  bring  to  light  latent  genius  is  done 
by  those  in  spirit  life.  An  artist  in  earth  life  will 
attract  an  artist  spirit  here,  who  will,  by  attaching 
himself  by  magnetic  sympathy,  in  a  measure  realize 
again  his  earthly  ambitions.  But  I  am  told  this  on- 
ly exists  for  a  time  ;  that  the  old  masters  soon  find 
•uch facilities  for  realizing  their  ambitions  here  that 
they  leave  the  past  and  become  engrossed  in  the 
great  field  for  study  before  them. 

Thus  I  think  the  idea  which  some  mediums  have 
that  their  controls  are  some  of  the  ancients,  and  al- 
ways with  them,  should  be  corrected.  These  ad- 
Tanced  spirits  would  not  have  the  inclination  to 
attach  themselves  so  closely  to  one  in  earth  life. 
Yet  by  use  of  magnetic  connection  alluded  to  before, 
they  may  at  times  give  help  to  the  medium  who  is 
•usceptible   to  refined   influences.  The   highest 

minds  may  come  in  rapport  with  those  in  earth  life 
through  a  medium  having  the  proper  inherent  re- 
quisites. And  thus  the  plans  of  those,  wise  and 
pure,  may  be  worked  out  on  the  earth  plane. 

Ques — What  is  your  house  made   of,    and  who 
made  it  ? 


51 

Alls — You  ask  what  is  my  house  made  of?  To  a 
miud  surrounded  by  the  material,  this  is  very  hard 
to  make  plain.  For  ages  on  the  earth  plane  there 
have  been  mansions  built  and  houses  of  less  preten- 
tious appearance,  but  after  doing  good  service  there, 
they  rot  and  crumble  away.  This  is  because  the 

subtle  essence,  which  held  the  material  togeth«r  has 
departed,  and  as  matter  is  ever  existent,  the  finest 
part,  instead  of  settling  into  the  earth,  must  rise. 

Therefore  that  essence  as  well  as  that  which  comes 
from  buildings  destroyed  by  fire,  is  fashioned  by  the 
All  Creative  Power  into  our  homes.  And  thus  ar« 
homes  made  which  cannot  fail  in  their  variety  to 
please  the  most  critical  taste. 

No  spirit  in  a  material  sense,  builds  his  home ;  still 
as  the  spirit  expands,  and  his  love  for  the  beautiful 
is  increased,  the  home  he  lives  in  will  assume  more 
beauty  and  be  capable  of  changes  until  the  spiril 
passes  to  a  higher  sphere. 

Ques — What  is  the  green  grass  made  of,  and  doet 
it  go  to  seed  ? 

Aus — When  you  wish  me  to  tell  you  of  what  green 
grass  is  made,  as  with  every  other  spiritual  element 
you  give  me  a  queistion  I  cannot  answer.  If  I  asked 
of  what  your  grais  is  made,  you  would  name  the  dif- 
ferent properties  existing,  while  I  should  have  to 
say  that  our  grass  consi^ts  of  the  spirit  of  the  prop- 
erties of  earthly  grass.  Our  grass  is  subject  to 
changes.  In  some  instances  I  have  seen  it  present 
the  appearance  of  going  to  seed.  But  that  was  not 
in  contact  with  our  homes,  as  it  is  the  will  of  the 
owner   that  all   should    be    beautiful   here.       Our 


b'2 

tastes  are  much  the   same   as  in  earth  life,  but   we 
work  more  with  our  will  power  than  with  our  hands, 
Ques — You  wrote  of   cool   shade   trees.      Do  you 
have  hot  and  cold  weather  there  ? 

Ans — I  wrote  of  cool  shade,  not  so  much  because 
there  is  exceeding  heat  to  flee  from,  as  that  the  green 
shade  is  pleasant  after  the  glare  of  light  that  exists. 
Though  we  have  neither  very  hot  nor  very  cold 
weather,  still  there  is  a  variety  which  makes  it  pleas- 
ant for  all.  What  would  be  agreeable  for  one  might 
not  be  for  another,  and  therefore  climates  are  so  well 
chosen  and  arranged  that  all  may  be  satisfied. 

Ques — If  you  have  a  variety  of  temperatures,  how 
can  flowers  of  different  seasons  in  earth  life,  bloom 
together  in  spirit  life  ? 

•  Ans — As  to  the  flowers  all  blooming  together, 
your  earth  world,  with  its  variations  of  climate, 
warm  in  some  places,  cold  in  others,  is  all  the  time 
producing  for  us  the  essence  or  spirit  of  the  finest 
and  most  hardy  flowers  to  go  on  with  their  eternal 
growth.  Thus  you  see,  when  flowers  once  exist  here, 
they  always  will  exist;  only  subject  to  changes  some- 
what like  the  changes  you  have  there. 

I  know  this  will  be  enigmatical  to  you,  but  see 
the  wisdom  of  it.  If  one  particular  flower  kept  the 
same  appearance,  it  would  become  monotonous,  like 
those  manufactured  by  hand  in  earth  life.  But  it 
is  not  so.  New  buds  and  blossoms  greet  our  sight — 
the  old  ones  with  their  drooping  heads,  sending 
their  spirit  to  the  new. 

Ques — How  far  is  your  home  from  earth,  and  in 
what  sphere  is  it? 

Ans— Counting  by  miles,  I  must  be  very  many  of 


53 
them  from   the   earth,   but  by   magnetic   attraction 
and  our  power  of  locomotion,  I  am   but   little  ways 
from  the  earth,  for  in  an  instant  I   am   able  to  reach 
down  when  love  calls  me. 

The  spheres,  as  I  have  studied  them,  I  wish  to 
make  the  subject  of  a  work  hereafter,  as  I  know 
with  what  little  I  have  experienced,  I  shall  give  a 
somewhat  different  idea  of  them  from  what  I  per- 
ceive is  in  many  minds  in  earth  life.  ^But  in  thes  fr 
papers,  writing  as  I  do  with  only  a  short  experience, 
I  wish  to  describe  scenes  from  the  plane  on  which  I 
am  now  existing,  and  from  that  which  I  have  passed 
through.  I  must,  step  by  step,  learn  the  glories 
that  will  open  to  me,  and  then  tell  you.  In  this  ef- 
fort I  trust  I  have  onl}^  begun  a  series  of  efforts 
which  may  grow  clearer  as  I  advance. 

May  all  things  be  made  plain  to  me,  because  I  still 
would  labor  for  my  fellow-men — those  who  soon,  at 
the  longest,  are  to  come  over  here   and  see  whether 
my  pen-pictures  have  led  them  into  wrong  ideas  of 
spirit  life. 

Ques — You  write  in  one  place  that  you  have  no 
night  there,  yet  you  write  in  this  paper  of  the  glare 
of  light.  Do  you  have  a  glare  all  of  the  time?  If 
not,  what  succeeds  it  ? 

Ans — I  have  previously  stated  that  there  is  no 
night  here,  or  no  night  like  your'night,  but  that  each 
soul  had  its  time  for  rest;  and  in  order  to  rest,  the 
conditions  necessary  must  exist.  As  to  the  glare  of 
light,  I  would  state  that  different  degrees  of  light 
and  heat  are  necessar}'  to  the  spiritual  vegetation 
ever  existent,  and  that  as  in  earth  life,  we,  when  the 
light  is  most  intense,  seek  for  shade.       As  nature  is 


54 
ever  repeating  itself,  we  find  the  most  exquisite  bow- 
ers, with  green  foliage  all  around,  where  we  can  en- 
joy as  much  of  the  cooling  breeze  as  though  in  earth 
life  we  had  come  heated  and  weary  to  one  of  nature's 
green  recesses. 

Samuel  Bowles. 


PAPER  THIRTEENTH. 

THE  SPIRITUAL   CONGRESS. 
HOW  INTEMPERANCE  IS  TO  BE  OVERCOME. 

When  I  promised  to  write  on  our  spiritual  con- 
gress, I  perhaps  gave  the  idea  of  describing  a  con- 
gress on  the  same  plan  with  the  earthly  one,  but  this 
is  not  really  my  design.  I  have  before  said-that  there 
are  no  laws  needed  here,  for  in  a  truly  spiritual  life 
every  one  is  a  law  unto  himself. 

Real  affairs  of  state  are  here  not  a  necessity.  If 
spirit  life  made  us  selfish,  the  questions  of  the  old, 
struggling  life  might  remain  always  behind.  But 
not  so  :  while  earth  life  is  constantly  sending  over 
such  men  as  Horace  Greeley,  Charles  Sumner,  Wil- 
liam H.  Seward  and  hosts  of  similar  noble  men  and 
women,  there  will  always  remain  workers  for  the  na- 
tion. The  old  republic,  so  well  loved,  could  not 
meet  with  so  much  to  pull  it  down,  and  not  awaken  in 
hearts  a  desire  to  give  it  substantial  aid,  and  blot  for- 
ever from  its  pages  the  results  of  attempted  danger- 
ous innovations.  Some  of  the  very  men  mentioned 
above  can  look  back  to  times  when  they  put  fortli 
all  their  power  to  prevent  the  enactment  of  a  law 
because  somewhere  under  the  shelter  of  the  proposed 
law  there  might  come  a  chance  for  self-aggrandize- 
ment. 


55 

Human  nature  is  selfish;  and  he  who  conquers  self 
most  should  be  crowned  king  of  himself.  Here  sel- 
fishness is  gradually  laid  aside.  Gold,  the  curse  as 
well  as  the  blessing  of  earth  life,  is  not  the  coin  used 
here.  It  will  be  remembered  that  all  kinds  of  peo- 
ple are  constantly  coming  to  spirit  life.  Southern  as 
well  as  northern  politicians  come  with  all  their  prej- 
udices strongly  fixed.  Therefore  it  has  been  deemed 
desirable  to  have  different  places  for  gathering  for 
the  intelligent  discussion  of  questions  which  inearth 
life  were  thought  so  momentous,  and  which  were 
too  apt  to  be  viewed  from  one  side  only. 

It  has  been  my  lot  to  be  introduced  into  some  of 
these  gatherings,  where  questions  are  to  be  discussed 
preparatory  to  entering   into  our  spiritual  Congress. 

I  was  struck  with  the  cool,  concise  way  in  which 
all  questions  were  treated — no  thought  of  anger,  no 
appearance  of  one  setting  his  opinion  above  others, 
but  a  close  reasoning  and  weighing  of  all  questions 
which  are  of  moment. 

If  a  person  sees  that  an  argument,  clothed  with 
reason,  is  really  above  his  former  view  of  the  ques- 
tion, there  is  a  nobility  of  character  shown  in  de- 
claring himself  vanquished.  Remember,  money  for 
themselves  cannot  come  of  it ;  honor,  by  being  in 
opposition,  cannot  come.  Thus  these  questions  are 
looked  at  in  the  right  spirit  and  studied  with  a  view 
of  helping  those  in  earth  life  who  are  making  laws 
for  the  thousands  who  are  to  obey  them.  It  is  not 
an  idea  at  all  unreasonable  to  us  that,  in  the  near 
future  the  voices  of  departed  statesmen  may  be  heard 
again  in  the  Senate  and  House  of  your  Congress. 

The  spirit  world,  in  its  political  phases   is  becom- 
ing awakened  to  the  necessity  of  having  something 


56 
done  to  give   any  part  of   the  national  workings   a 
semblance  of  the  purity  of  the  olden  time.  Men  like 
Patrick  Henry  look  blushingly    on  what  used  to  be 
their  pride. 

Politics  is  such  a  dangerous  maelstrom  that  when 
once  a  man  is  engulfed,  there  seems  to  be]^  small 
chance  of  his  escape,  still  retaining  his  purity  of 
principle.  The  making  of  laws  that  are  best  for 
a  struggling  nation  is  left  in  the  background.  In  or- 
der to  reach  the  ears  of  these  noble  men,  men  too 
often  surrounded  by  the  fumes  of  liquor  and  tobac- 
co, there  must  be  such  an  amount  of  red  tape  that 
the  applicant  finds  his  pockets  empty  and  his  mind 
in  such  a  confused  whirl  as  to  render  him  unable  to 
give  clearness  to  his  ideas.  Too  often  he  departs 
feeling  his  one  attempt  for  the  protection  of  his  fel- 
loT\men  must  be  given  up. 

Viewing  this  mighty  public  machinery  as  you  do, 
it  may  seem  grand  and  imposing;  but  viewing  the 
rottenness  of  heart,  the  flimsiness  of  principle,  the 
power  of  gold ;  seeing  men  outside  these  places 
watching  for  some  chance  to  buy  or  sell  fellow  men, 
watching  women  who  too  often  degiade  and 
themselves  to  help  carry  some  point  for  which  they 
will  receive  their  reward  in  money,  we  feel  the  time 
has  come  to  put  into  our  work  here  such  power  as 
will  strike  out  of  exibtence  some  of  the  blots  and 
canker  spots  marring  the  original  beauty  of  the  na- 
tion's escutcheon, 

Therefore  the  necessity  not  only  of  a  spiritual 
congress  but  of  gatherings  of  all  kinds  whereby  we 
can  gain  power  to  act  on  the  worldly  congress. 


57 
In  our  spiritual  congress  there  convene  those  from 
every  part  of  the  nation  who,  through  some  past 
bond  of  sympathy  with  those  who  act  in  the  earthly 
congress,  may  hope  to  awaken  in  them  a  desire  to 
work  for  the  real  good  of  a  great  people. 

Men  who  passed  out  of  your  life,  with  whitened 
beads,  made  so  from  their  anxiety  lest,  by  some 
inadvertence  they  might  make  mistakes,  now  al- 
most groan  in  pain  to  see  the  carelessness  with  which 
a  nation's  honor  is  now  held  by  a  people  living  alto- 
gether too  fast. 

Our  questions  are  not  the  questions  that  may  be 
under  immediate  consideration  in  your  congress,  but 
those  whereb}^  we  can  establish  the  closest  connec- 
tion with  those  of  you,  destined  to  make  the  laws, 
and  our  best  way  to  clear  such  heads  of  selfishness 
and  the  desire  to  be  popular,  long  enough  for  them 
to  seriously  think  whither  they  are  letting  the  good 
old  ship  of  state  drift.  For  to  our  clear  vision,  it 
appears  that  with  the  facilities  which  the  present 
time  affords,  and  under  the  right  management,  laws 
might  be  so  made  and  enforced,  and  the  distribution 
of  labor  so  equalized  that  there  need  not  be  a  suffer- 
ing family  in  the  land  where  there  are  ten  now. 

When  the  laws  which  the  spiritual  congress  would 
influence  the  earthly  one  to  enact  are  in  force,  the 
power  of  King  Alcohol  shall  be  taken  away,  because 
we  shall  convince  people  that  a  law  should  be  made 
against  its  manufacture,  and  also  against  its  impor- 
tation. 

But  some  raise  their  voices,  even  here,  and  say 
that  law  would  be  incompatible  with  true  liberty 
and  a  free  country.    The  answer  is,  nothing  is  essen- 


58 
tial  to  liberty  that  makes  chains,  and  where  will  you 
find  stronger  chains  than  those  made  by  the  demon, 
drink?  You  might  say  such  a  law  would  be^an  in- 
jury to  the  tillers  of  the  soil,  fruit  raisers,  &c.  who 
depend  on  this  traffic  to  make  their  sales. 

We  reply  that  for  all  we  would  take  from  the 
working  world,  we  would  restore  tenfold.  We 
would  show  you  how  little  in  all  directions  you 
really  need,  by  the  side  of  what  you  use,  and  also 
that  with  the  wants  of  the  body  simplified,  and  by 
living  nearer  to  nature,  you  will  gain  capacities  for 
pure  enjoyment  never  before  acquired. 

So  now,  all  thinking  ones  in  earth  life,  under 
whose  observation  these  imperfect  pages  may  come, 
lend  us  your  aid,  not  only  in  living  rightly  and  send- 
ing a  good  feeling  that  others  shall  understand,  but 
when  in  the  solitude  of  your  home  life,  send  up  your 
earnest  prayers  to  angel  friends  that  they  may  help 
the  upper  congress  to  have  such  power  over  your 
nation's  congress  there,  that  the  evils  which  sur- 
round you  may  gradually,  by  cltan  hands  and  pure 
hearts,  be  wiped  from  the  nation's  history,  and  that 
men  shall  be  chosen  for  the  earthly  congress  who 
may  be  in  such  harmony  with  higher  powers  that 
the  way  shall  be  made  easier  for  the  spiritual  con- 
gress to  work  out  its  designs  on  the  earthly  congress. 

Samuel  Bowles. 


PAPER  FOURTEENTH. 

HOW  TO  HELP  OUR  LOVED  ONES  DIE. 

Knowing  as  I  do  that  I  shall  cause  opposition,  ridi- 
cule and  perhaps  trouble  to  the  instrument  through 


59 

whom  I  write,  I  would  like*  if  possible,  to  throw 
over  this  work  the  garb  of  common  sense,  so  that 
the  most  critical  and  unbelieving  in  spirit  return 
will  find  something  worthy  of  their  attention,  to 
whatever  origin  they  ascribe  it. 

I  have  heretofore  endeavored  to  analyze  as  1  saw 
best,  questions  that  had  the  greatest  bearing  on  the 
needs  of  the  day  ;  and  if  I  have  been  harsh,  it  was  not 
meant.  If  I  have  sent  you  into  a  new  path,  though 
but  for  an  instant,  I  pray  it  may  be  for  your  good. 

1  have  touched  more  lightly  on  the  social  evils  of 
the  day  than  I  shall  when  once  I  have  a  control  per- 
fect enough  to  give  to  the  world  that  feeling  with 
which  I  would  inspire  them — that  of  stopping  now 
and  thinking  whether  they  have  in  their  own  homes 
a  foundation  strong  and  beautiful  for  the  future  of 
those  to  whom  they  give  life, 

1  have  been  requested  to  give  my  ideal  of  a  per- 
fect reform  in  the  social  system,  but  it  would  be  im- 
possible for  me  while  the  real  is  the  cause  of  such 
depressing  thought  and  work.  It  would   be  like 

throwing  seed  on  an  ungrateful  soil.  Therefore,  be- 
cause I  cannot  handle  it  in  all  its  bearings,  and  be- 
cause there  is  in  your  land  sickness  which  is  daily 
leading  to  the  change  to  life-everlasting,  I  would 
like  to  give  you  some  of  my  ideas,  grown  strong  by 
a  short  experience,  of  how  to  help  your  loved  ones 
die.     To  you  it  may  seem  cruel. 

Knowing  how  much  depends  on  our  state  when 
we  enter  here,  we  deem  it  highly  important,  if  the 
earth  world  will  call  change,  death,  that  they  learn 
how  to  die.  There  has  been  implanted  in  most  hu- 
mans the  seeds  of  disease  which  rapidly  developed 
by  the  lives   they   live,  is  the  motive   power  wh 


60 

brings  them  prematurely  to  spirit  life. 

This  cause,  which  is  ultimately  to  produce  a  natu- 
ral effect,  haa  seasons  in  which  it  seems  to  be  nearly 
ready  to  consummate  its  purpose :  but  there  comes 
some  counter-irritant  or  some  cause  stronger,  that 
for  a  time  deadens  the  effect  of  this  latent  force,  and 
the  patient  again  rises  from  the  sick  bed.  But  each 
time  this  struggle  happens,  the  power  of  the  syst«m 
to  throw  off  this  disease  becomes  weakened,  and  one 
notch  lower  in  its  bodily  strength. 

Much  depends  on  the  manner  of  living,  the  food 
eaten,  the  employment  and  all  that  goes  to  make  up 
life,  whether  the  body  can  still  generate  sufficient 
force  after  these  attacks  which  come  by  heredity. 
But  at  the  best,  the  will-power  and  the  bodily -force 
must  after  a  while  bend  to  the  inevitable. 

Sooner  or  later  the  shell  must  give  up  its  hold  on 
the  spirit.  There  are  some  pure  lives,  with  ante- 
natal conditions  which,  either  from  design  or  chance 
were  nearly  perfect,  that  fade  away  rather  than 
sicken,  and  as  the  body,  worn  in  all  parts,  gives  way 
to  the  spiritual,  which  is  intensified,  angels  catch 
glimpses  of  birth  into  spirit  life  which  give  them  joy 
and  arouses  in  their  hearts  stronger  desires  to  throw 
such  an  influence  over  the  earthly  life  that  all  peo- 
ple will  be  born  right  in  order  that  they  may  die 
right,  or  rather  enter  the  second  birth. 

Bnt  these  instances  are  rare.  The  cases  of  in- 
herited disease  are  so  frequent  that  we  wish  to  say 
t  o  those  who  perceive  the  venom  coursing  through 
veins  to  its  deadly  work,  and  though  vanquished,  to 
take  hold  with  a  surer  grip,  you  have  a  work   to  do. 

When  you  see  the  utter  hopelessness  of  the  case 


61 

instead  of  letting  the  sad  tears  flow,  show  your  brav- 
ery of  spirit  by  striving  to  conquer  yourselves. 
There  before  you  is  a  loved  one  waiting  the  change. 
Disease  at  times,  almost  sways  the  spirit  out  of  the 
body,  but  the  clinging  of  home  friends  and  the  dread 
of  entering  an  untried  future  has  the  effect  for  a 
time,  to  stay  the  power  of  disease. 

Hopes  are  revived,  and  after  prolonged  suffering 
which  need  not  have  been,  that  spirit  is  released  from 
the  earthly  body  by  the  help  of  waiting  angels. 

Now  how  much  better  it  would  be  if  people  would 
learn  how  to  help  each  other  die.  When  it  is  seen 
that  earth  life  cannot  long  last,  those  waiting 
around  the  sick  bed  should  speak  cheeringly  to  the 
sufferer,  of  the  beauties  just  out  of  sight.  Instead  of 
the  sufferer  catching  sobs  and  looks  of  anguish  for 
the  last  memory,  he  should  see  peaceful  faces,  and 
know  that  his  loved  ones  are  so  sure,  they  can  trust 
him  and  his  waiting  guardians  out  into  a  beautiful 
future. 

Instead  of  holding  your  friends  back  with  all 
the  force  of  your  will-power,  you  should  say  it  is 
time  for  them  to  rest,  and  gently  release  the  hold  of 
your  will,  so  they  may  not,  in  going  forward,  give 
backward  glances  of  pity. 

01  professed  Christians !  with  a  faith  in  the  blood 
which  cleanses  from  all  sin — 0!  Spiritualists  !  feeling 
you  are  a  step  higher  on  the  ladder  of  progression, 
you  make  that  which  nature  intended  as  the  final 
crowning  of  an  earthly  existence,  the  wading  through 
a  sea  of  tears.  Remember  that  the  prayer  of  spirit 
friends  is,  that  men  and  women  may  be  born  right, 
then  that  they  should  die  right,  or  enter  upon  spirit 
life  without  a  fear.  Samuel  Bowles. 


PAPER  FIFTEENTH. 

HOW  TO  DEVELOP     MEDIUMS. 

I  have  before  written  of  the  necessity  of  pure, 
true  channels  through  whom  we  can  work.  I  have 
written  of  the  necessity  for  the  best  ones.  And  now 
with  the  fact  plainly  before  me  that  mediumship  is 
in  the  future  more  than  in  the  past,  to  be  the  great 
teacher  for  the  uneducated  millions,  I  see  more  and 
more  necessity  for  the  highest,  purest  development. 

I  would  not  wish  to  make  an  assertion  incompat- 
ible with  reason,  for  I  know  the  usual  idea  is,  ''  me- 
diums are  born,  not  made.  "  But  seeing  as  I  do  in 
almost  ever}^  organism  the  elements  through  which 
we  could  work,  if  those  elements  could  be  perfected, 
I  am  anxious  that  this  truth  may  be  so  well  un- 
stood  that  in  the  near  future,  there  may  be  in  nearly 
every  family  at  least  one  through  whom  the  spirits 
can  work,  and  that  there  shall  come  to  all,  the  happy 
and  the  sorrowful,  that  peace  which  may  be  given 
by  our  aid. 

How  to  develop  mediums  has  been  a  subject  of 
much  study,  not  only  by  me,  but  by  many  others, 
wiser  than  I.  We  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
childhood  is  the  best  time  in  which  to  bring  out 
these  qualities.  I  would  say  to  all  who  may  read 
these  lines,  that  as  some  prize  the  "  family  altar,  " 
would  we  have  you  prize  those  times  when,  with 
your  united  family,  you  can  sit  around  a  table,  with 
hands  gently  toiicliing,  and  in  the  twilight  of  ihe 
room,  raise  your  hearts  in  prayer  to  the  angel  world 
that  some  of  the  workers  there  may  descend  and  take 
•ven  the  best,  most  beloved  of  your   flock,  for  a  me- 


63 
diiim  in  their  cause.  Let  their  be  no  levity,  but 
gentle  music  and  holy  thoughts.  Not  that  any  feel- 
ing of  awe  need  he  attached  to  it,  but  have  it  im- 
planted in  the  hearts  of  your  children  that  loved 
ones  may  come,  and  greet  the  most  tiny  rap  with  as 
much  gladness  as  you  would  the  rap  at  the  door 
which  signalled  the  coming  of  a  dear  friend. 

This  subject,  the  beautiful  harbinger  of  glad  tid- 
ings, is  not  treated  by  believers  with  enough  thought 
and  reverence.  Remember,  it  has  opened  a  door  for 
y«u  that  nothing  else  could,  and  it  should  be  re- 
vered and  loved  because  it  is  a  part  of  God,  a  part  of 
the  All- Wise  plan — a  bridge  over  the  gulf  of  death. 
Therefore  would  you  have  3^our  children  developed, 
it  is  almost  like  following  in  the  footsteps  of  him 
who  bore  the  cross  up  the  mountain. 

As  the  best  niediumi,  through  whom  the  most  ef- 
ficient work  can  be  dont,  are  the  best  people,  it  is 
highly  necessary  that  each  one  should  be  grounded 
in  morality,  and  from  whose  untarnished  lives  shall 
shine  such  truth  that  the  most  cricical  will  say  "If  my 
loved  ones  can  come  back,  I  would  like  to  have  them 
come  through  such  an  one,  who  though  bearing  the 
cross  of  mediumship,  hold  their  souls  high  above 
the  filth  which  sometimes  tarnishes  the  characters 
of  sensitives  through  lack  of  will-power  and  proper 
training. 

If  the  main  object  is  to  have  good  people  devel- 
oped into  good  mediums,  and  a  chance  is  given  in 
homes,  by  sitting  regularly  twice  a  week,  but  not 
over  an  hour  at  a  time,  but  sitting  that  hour  wheth- 
er any  result  is  obtained  or  not,  by  frequently  in- 
voking the  presence  of  your  spirit  friends,  by  living 


64 
pnre  lives,  by  eating  the  most  simple  and  nutritious 
food,  fish  and  cereals  being  more  productive  of  good 
than  heavier  meats,  by  keeping  the  system  free  from 
all  stimulants,  even  tea   and   coffee,  by  not  vexing 
your  minds  with   dissensions   and   conflicts  of  the 
day,  you  will  give  the   most  assistance  to    us,   who 
will   gladly   recognize    all  willingness   to  be   one 
of  our  aids.         I  cannot  enter   into  this  subject  as  I 
wish,  for  lack  of  time  and   space,   but  I  trust  I  may 
soon  be   enabled  to   give  minute  directions,  after 
having  more  thoroughly  consulted  those   in  whom  1 
have  confidence,  from  their  long  experience  here. 

I  also  hope  to  put  before  that  world  I  loved,  such 
proof  that  no  reasonable  person  may  doubt  that  these 
papers  come  from  me.  If  I  have  failed  in  any  part 
of  this  work,  to  give  definite  ideas,  1  trust  you  will 
look  at  the  difficulties  under  which  I  labor,  and  thus 
by  extending  your  kindest  feeling  and  a  little  of  the 
friendship  of  old,  enable  me  to  so  perfect  my  con- 
trol that  what  may  come  to  you  in  the  future,  will 
at  least  teach  some  the  fact  of  continued  existence. 

I  have  taken  up  the  pen  with  no  desire  for  the 
praises  of  men,  but  hoping  to  drop  some  words  which 
will  enter  the  lives  and  hearts  of  those  who,  on  the 
great  sea  of  uncertainty  concerning  their  future,  seek 
Bome  port  from  which  to  be  able  to  judge  honestly 
the  relations  of  life  and  death  and  the  reasonable- 
ness of  a  natural  heaven. 

Samuel  Bowles. 


THE    HYMNAL. 

A  practical  Soiisj  Book  for  Congregational 
Singing. 
This  book  of  75  pages  contains  290  hymns 
(withoutrausic)  most  of  which  can  be  sung 
by  a  ..-.n.neguti.n.     The  tunes  are  easy  and 
.eneralU-  well-known.     On  the  fly  leaf  are 
printed    the  titles   and   addresses   of   pub- 
lishers of  books  containing  the  music.    Ihis 
n,a-ic  i>  ninsily  to  be  found  in  the   Gospel 
Hvmns  and  Spiritual  Harp. 

The  words  of  this  edition  of  the  Hymna 
are  specially  adapted  for  use  in  meetings  of 
Spiritualists  but  other  societies  cou  d  use 
lllen,.  This  edition  contains  47  more  hymns 
than  the  former  edition,  but  these  are  ad- 
ded to  the  back  part,  and  the  old  edition 
can  be  used  with  the  new  one. 

The  work  is  published   and   for  sale  by 
the  Star  Publishing   Company  at  91  Sher- 
man street,   Springfield,  Mass,  and  can  be 
supplied  to  societies  for   $14.00  per   h'^''- 
.Irei  copies:  *S.OO  for  50  copies:   $4.50  for 
25  copies:  20  cents  per  copy  for  a  less 
number,  postage,  3  cents  a  copy,      fsample 
copies  23  cents,  post  paid. 

The  above  prices  apply  to  single  orders. 
An  order  for  50  copies  followed  by  another 
order  for  SO     copies  a   short   time   after 
,vill  be  filled  at  -fS.OO  each.      Cash  should 
accompany  the  order.     Postage  stamps  ac- 
cepted for  sample  copies. 
B@-     The.  Hymnal  is  by  far   the  best  and 
cheapest  book  of  hymns  yet  issued  for  con- 
gregational singing. 


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